


An Avenue to Happiness in Measured Steps

by Siberian



Category: Supernatural, Supernatural RPF
Genre: (Implied/Moderate Non-Con Elements), (fantasizing), (mild), (not between main pairing), Adult Breastfeeding, Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Getting Together, Graphic Violence, M/M, Mpreg, Potential Trigger (Medical), RPF AU, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, When in Doubt-Contact Author for Full List of Warnings, birthing scene
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:08:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29459535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberian/pseuds/Siberian
Summary: In the blink of an eye, an opportunity presents itself only for it to seemingly disappear. Still, despite that, he can't help but harbor hope that maybe it isn't too late. It's true that things could never be the same but who's to say that's a bad thing.
Relationships: Jared Padalecki/Misha Collins, Original Male Character/Misha Collins





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the “Father's Day Comment-Fic Meme” on Winchester Mpreg
> 
> As stated above, this story is a work of fiction. I've used their real names but that's about it. In the future it will be the same scenario. The majority of the cast is married and I wish them much happiness. Still, I like to play like most fanfic writers. So, it's them by name but technically an AU in every other respect. Now onto the warnings, there are no spoilers for Supernatural. The show isn't even mentioned. So, no worries on that front. There is a small section where someone fantasizes about lactation and a birthing scene which I think is pretty mild. That should about do it. On a separate note, this is my first Supernatural fic and my first time delving into RPS. I have more already in the works, on both fronts. Still, I hope dear readers that you find something to enjoy from my first completed effort.
> 
> Come join me on [Tumblr](https://siberianthewriter.tumblr.com)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The minute Misha opens his door he can tell something is wrong. A frown quickly replaces the easy smile on his face. His eyebrows come together as he tries to puzzle out why his friend looks so worn. “Hi Jared.” Even the greeting sounds worn out, the tone hollow. “Misha, what’s wrong? Did you and Brent have another fight?” Just saying the guys’ name annoyed him immensely. His friend’s boyfriend was a complete jerk and Misha deserved so much better. “We broke up. Last week actually.” He blinked once, twice before doing his best to contain his smile.  
  
“I didn’t realize. Why didn’t you tell me?” A dismissive shrug moved Misha’s slight frame. “It wasn’t really that big of a deal. He’d been cheating on me, so I wasn’t too broken up about it. I just wanted some time to be on my own, to sort everything out.” He gave a nod. The feeling was understandable. Still, something else was obviously going on. If he wasn’t broken up about it then why did he look so ragged? “Is there anything else? You seem really upset.” The words prompted Misha to look down, his eyes filling with tears and his bottom lip starting to quiver.  
  
No longer waiting for an invitation to enter, he crossed the door's threshold to gently grip his friend’s upper arms. “Hey, what is it? Talk to me.” His touch seemed to take away all of Misha’s strength and he gently guided his friend to his chest when he seemed ready to collapse. “I’m so stupid. I should have known better.” The hold around Misha’s waist tightened a little, one of his hands running in a soothing stroke down his back. “You’re not stupid. Whatever is going on, it’s going to be okay.” Reaching out with one hand he closed the door.  
  
With that taken care of, he led them into the living room. Not relinquishing his hold, he gently guided them to sit on the couch. As soon as they were settled he continued, his hand rising to gently rub the back of Misha’s neck. “Come on Misha, tell me what’s wrong. Let me help.” The head lying against his chest shook slowly, a small sniffle sounding. “You’re sweet Jared but you can’t help me. I..I’ve been feeling sick lately, so I went to see my doctor. He said that I’m..that I’m...” A small sob escaped, Misha trying to burrow further into his chest.  
  
“I’m pregnant Jared. I..why did this have to happen? I’ve always been so careful and now when everything’s falling apart. Why did it have to be him? Why now? It’s all so messed up.” At first he didn’t say anything. His mind was still reeling from the new information. It took some time for the shock to wear off and when it did a bitter jealousy burned through his chest. He’d had a thing for Misha since day one. The first time they’d met had been downstairs in the lobby. He’d been taking some boxes upstairs and Misha had been checking his mail.  
  
His hold had been precarious, the items stacked against him awkwardly. Something had slid and suddenly he’d completely lost his grip. The one box not sealed had tipped over, sending several books sliding across the floor. He’d cursed, kneeling down to clean up when Misha had kneeled down to help him. That day was still crystal clear in his memory. The moment that he’d first seen the brilliance of Misha’s blue eyes, saw the bright bashfulness of his smile and heard the soothing lilt to his voice. It was also the day that he’d discovered that the man of his dreams had a boyfriend.  
  
The news had been a crushing blow, made all the worse when he found out they only lived three doors down from each other. He’d tried to make himself stay away but it was impossible. Before he knew what was happening they were good friends. It was painful to see him so often. Yet it was more painful not to see him at all. The worst though was the double dates. He’d never had much luck with relationships. Still, there was the occasional guy or girl that he got serious with. As much as he liked his friend, he also knew straight from the get go that he was off limits.  
  
So he’d continued to try to find ‘The One’, ignoring the fact that his heart had already decided that it had found that in Misha. It made having a date and Misha around at the same time awkward. The absolute worst thing about those nights though was seeing the way Brent interacted with his boyfriend. It wasn’t uncommon for him to say something graphic or to grope Misha in front of other people. He could tell from the look on his friend’s face that he didn’t like it but for whatever reason he never spoke up about it. When Brent got drunk, which he did far too often for his liking, it was even worse.  
  
There was actually a double date where he was sure Brent had sex with Misha in the men’s room. They had returned to the table after a long absence. Both of them looked rumpled. The smile Brent wore was smug and Misha didn’t look him in the eye the rest of the night. Even his own date that evening, a hot personal trainer named Kyle, marveled at how big of a scumbag Brent was. He barely even knew the guy, they’d only been dating for a month but even he was upset on Misha’s behalf. That alone said more than most words could. He had known the relationship wouldn’t last. How could it?  
  
He also knew that Misha might never want him but he’d harbored the hope that there might be a future for them. When the time was right, when Brent was out of the picture, he’d make his move. He didn’t stay single for this sole purpose. It wasn’t right to covet or to lust. He’d never been raised to believe something like that was right. Still, if he was single when it happened, he’d been determined to take a chance. Now though, now everything was different. His friend would be intimately tied to Brent forever. They could very well stay together just because of this new development.  
  
He felt a little sick to his stomach thinking about that. The other man was so beautiful. He was such a free spirit. The thought of him shackled down to Brent was a tragedy in the truest sense. “Jared?” The small way Misha said his name broke him from his turbulent thoughts. He cleared his throat loudly, trying to keep a handle on himself. “What did Brent say when you told him?” The question made Misha laugh bitterly. It threw him for a second and he looked down. It was strange to hear such a harsh sound from the normally docile man. “He asked me if it was his.”  
  
That made his temper flair so quickly that it was only Misha lying against his chest that kept him seated. It was a good thing too because otherwise Brent would see him irate on his doorstep. A tremor suddenly went through the other man’s frame, drawing his attention to the way he was trying to curl in on himself. Lifting a hand he ran it gently through the haphazard dark locks of hair. “How could he even ask me that? After what he did, how could he say that to me? I’ve always been faithful. I never would have…I.” He tightened his grip a little, hearing the onset of tears.  
  
“It’s okay Misha. It’s going to be okay.” A hand settled on his bicep, the fingers curling to loosely grip his sleeve. “No, it’s not going to be okay. My baby is going to grow up with only one parent. I’m going to have to go home and tell my family that I’m pregnant out of wedlock. They were already angry enough that I was living with my boyfriend. How are they ever going to understand this? They won’t. I know they won’t and my baby is going to grow up with no family. I can’t believe I’ve done this to them. My baby hasn’t even been born yet and I’m already a terrible parent.”  
  
He’d heard enough. The distress was making Misha’s trembling grow worse and the instability of the emotions had him crying minutes earlier. Pulling the other man away from him gently, he held his upper arms until their gazes could connect. “I want you to listen to me and to listen to me good. Whatever it takes you’re going to get through this. I’ll be here to help you every step of the way. All you need to do is let me.” The teary gaze left his own to drop to the couch. “This isn’t your responsibility Jared. It’s mine.” He tightened his grip minutely and briefly in a squeeze.  
  
“That doesn’t matter. You’re my friend and I care about you. We’re in this together, alright?” Their gazes reconnected; a tentative hope in Misha’s watery eyes. “Are you sure? I mean really sure because I wouldn’t blame you for backing out.” He pulled the other man close again, tucking him gently into his chest. “I’m positive. You couldn’t keep me away.” The response made some the tension leave Misha’s body and he found himself smiling softly. He would stay by his friend’s side through this. Whatever came their way, he wasn’t letting Misha go, not until the other man made him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Flopping down onto his couch, he winced when he landed a little harder then he’d meant to. “Dude, you are so pathetic.” He looked toward the phone with a frown. “Thanks a lot Jensen. Don’t hold back or anything.” That earned him a small laugh filled with humor. “You know I never do.” There was a brief pause before his best friend continued. “Seriously though, we’ve had this conversation before. Why don’t you ask him out already? Call it a hunch but I don’t think you’d strike out.” He sighed, lifting a hand to rub at his eyes. “Yeah, you’re right; we’ve had this conversation before. And what do I always tell you?” The voice that came back over the line had a sing song quality to it.  
  
There was no doubt that Jensen had heard the same phrase numerous times. “I have to ask him out when the time is right.” He lowered his hand, making an ‘I told you so’ gesture even though he was alone. “Okay, so then when will the time ever be right? You’ve been pinning for this guy for close to three years and now you finally have the chance to stake your claim. If you don’t, someone else will.” His gaze fell to his right thigh, his fingers picking at a loose thread in his worn jeans. 

“I know that. I do. It’s just that I can’t make a move on him now. He’s vulnerable. I don’t want to take advantage of him and I don’t want him to feel like he can’t trust me.” Looking up, he forced his fingers away from his jeans. If he kept picking at it, the stitching would only get more messed up. “You know, you’re looking at this the wrong way. So what if he’s vulnerable. Maybe he’s waiting for a knight in shining armor to come to the rescue. I mean, I get it, I do. You don’t want to be a jerk but here’s the thing Jared. This isn’t some guy you just met; you guys have been friends a long time now. Just let him see that you could be more to him.”  
  
The left side of his mouth lifted briefly, his features creasing as he considered his friend’s words. “Yeah maybe.” That earned him an amused scoff. “You know I’m right. I’m like the love guru, especially when it comes to your love life. Plus your mom agrees with me which is a sure fire sign that you should just marry the guy already.” He frowned a little at that, not liking how accurate Jensen was. Normally he couldn’t go wrong with advice from his best friend. “My mother’s opinion is not infallible. Don’t forget she really liked Brittney.” The other man made a dismissive sound.  
  
“So she made one mistake. Don’t hold that against her. That she devil had a lot of people fooled.” He couldn’t deny that. If he hadn’t known her since high school, he could have easily fallen for the new improved fake personality. “Anyway like I was saying, you should go for it. Your mom has pretty much already adopted him and you’re dad can’t wait to take him on the fishing trip next year. He’s practically a Padalecki already; he just doesn’t know it yet.” As much as he wanted to argue that Jensen was wrong, he knew that he wasn’t. His mother gushed anytime he even mentioned Misha in passing.  
  
“I haven’t told them yet, about the baby. Do you think they’re going to be so gung ho after that?” It was a tough question to even ask but a fair one none the less. The situation he found himself in wasn’t ideal. “Do you mean are they going to be disappointed or hold it against him? Definitely not. Is your mother going to go into grandbaby mode and pester you to have more children? That’s a definite yes. The minute you bring that baby for a visit, expect your mom to want more. Heck, the kid doesn’t even have to be born yet. All she’s going to need to see is Misha ready to pop and she’s going to be having visions of the two of you having a brood.”  
  
He chuckled a little. Not sure quite how much Jensen was exaggerating. “I swear Jensen; you make it sound like my mother wants to establish her own village.” His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall and his eyes suddenly widened at the time. It had gotten a lot later then he realized. “Trust me. If she could, she would. I know for a fact that she wanted more children then she had. If she’d had her way, you’d have a lot more siblings then two.” Standing up from the couch, he made his way to the bathroom. “Hey Jensen, I’m sorry man but I need to get going.”  
  
Picking up his hairbrush, he ran it through his hair roughly. He winced when the brush snagged on a particularly tough knot. “Okay, no problem. I don’t want to make you late for your hot date.” Working the brush a little more carefully through the knot, he paused long enough to frown at the phone. “I wouldn’t call painting the walls of a nursery a hot date.” Finishing with his hair, he clenched his teeth to check them in the mirror. “Oh I don’t know; it’s the perfect set up to sex. I can see it now, you sweaty and covered in paint. Then there’s Misha bringing you some tea or lemonade or something in a cold glass, maybe a beer.  
  
I know he can’t drink but maybe he bought them special just for you. Then he comments on the room, you smile at his praise. He gets all flustered, you get hot. The clothes come off and the two of you have wild kinky sex on the floor. Well, okay, maybe in the hallway. He might not want to have sex in his kid’s room.” All he did was blink for a moment, his left eyebrow raised. When he finally did respond, it was with disbelief. “You’re delusional.” That earned him a deep throaty chuckle. “Trust me, it happens. I’ve had some wild times over the years my friend, some really wild times.  
  
Well, I better let you go. I don’t want to interrupt the primping you’re doing for your date that’s not a date.” When Jensen said that, he paused in disbelief for a moment that he’d been found out. Another chuckle sounded over the phone. “Busted.” He scowled. “Oh shut up.” That earned him an outright laugh and despite himself he smiled too. After a brief goodbye, they disconnected the call. He headed out to the living room to put the phone back in the charger.  
  
Walking to the front door he went to leave only to pause. He picked up the breath strips that had caught his eye. Popping one into his mouth, he breathed through the assault on his taste buds. It was a little silly he knew. There was little chance that he would get close enough for Misha to smell his breath. Still, better safe than sorry. With that, he left his apartment to head down the hallway.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The paint roller had just found its way back into the light yellow paint when he heard someone in the doorway. He turned to his left to see Misha entering the room. Moving quickly, he gently blocked his path. “You can’t be in here. The paint fumes are bad for the baby.” That earned him a small smile, a hand gently skimming down his collarbone. “I know; I won’t stay long. I just wanted to see how things were going and to ask if you wanted something to drink.” He offered the other man a smile, gently maneuvering him until he was back in the hallway.  
  
“Things are going fine and yes that sounds nice.” An amused smile was sent in his direction before Misha disappeared into the living room. With a small shake of his head he went back into the bedroom and got back to work painting the small space. He’d managed to finish off the current wall when Misha returned. “Here you go.” Turning back toward the doorway, he approached his friend and reached out to take the drink only to pause. It was a beer. A sudden spike of pleasure went through him, the now stimulated sections of his mind conjuring up heated fantasies.  
  
“This is the brand you like, right? I can’t drink right now, so I bought these especially for you.” He gulped hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing painfully. Internally he started to curse Jensen for all he was worth. One of these days, he was going to get payback. Forcing a smile on his face, he reached out to take the beer. “Yeah, it’s the right one. Thanks, you didn’t have to go to so much trouble.” The other man shrugged lightly, looking bashful all of a sudden. “It’s no trouble. You’re being so nice doing this for me. I wish you’d let me pay you.”  
  
He quickly shook off the words, taking a sip of the beer before responding verbally. “I wouldn’t hear of it. We’re friends. I don’t mind doing this for you. Now, why don’t you go sit down and take a load off.” For a second it looked like Misha might argue with him, the curious gaze trying to sneak a peek over his shoulder. It only took a second though for him to cave with a sigh. “Oh alright, I’ll stop bugging you now. If you need anything just call.” He smiled again at Misha’s tone and gave him a small nod. “Will do.” The break he took lasted only long enough for the other man to disappear into the living room once more.  
  
As soon as he was sure that Misha was clear of the fumes, he got back to work painting the nursery. The rest of the room was finished in another hour. Most of the difficult areas, like for instance the closet, he’d already done at the start. He made sure the door to the room was closed before he made his way back out into the living room. Finding it empty he made his way to the small kitchen. It was there he found his friend, stirring something in a pot on the stove. A fantasy suddenly floated into his mind. He saw himself moving forward, wrapping his arms around Misha, his lips kissing down his neck and his hands settling to rub at his stomach.  
  
It was a nice domestic fantasy, one that was too easy to slip into. Not wanting his imagination to run completely wild, he pulled in the reigns by clearing his throat. That got Misha’s attention, as he thought it might and the other man turned to him with a smile. “Hey there, all done?” He tipped his head in a small nod. “Yep, you should be able to go in there in about two days.” Hearing that made a wide smile come to Misha’s face and he smiled in reaction automatically. “I can’t wait to start decorating. It’s been a tough few weeks but I’m finally starting to feel like it’s real.  
  
I’m going to have a baby. I’m going to be a father. I just hope that my son or daughter will feel loved enough with one parent.” He smiled a little sadly, wishing he could be part of that future picture. “If anyone can make him or her feel that way it’s you Misha. I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone with a bigger heart.” When the other man blushed, he felt the sadness slip away from this smile. The smile on his face only grew when Misha tried to duck his head to hide the reaction. “You say that about me and yet you’ve been going out of your way to help me. I don’t know how I can ever repay you Jared.”  
  
He waved off the words, not wanting Misha to feel obligated to him. “Like I said before, I don’t mind. So don’t worry about it, okay? Just worry about keeping you and that baby healthy.” A nod greeted his words, the both of them falling silent for several long seconds. It was Misha who eventually broke them free of the moment. “I was wondering if you’d like to stay for dinner. It’s the least I can do and spaghetti should never be eaten alone.” The other man paused then, looking up to meet his eyes. “Too many left-over’s.” He chuckled a little, giving his friend a wide smile.  
  
“That sounds great. I’ll be right back. I’m just going to go clean up before dinner.” Looking back down shyly, Misha nodded a little. “Okay, I’ll be here.” He returned from the bathroom a few minutes later and made his way into the kitchen as well. Opening up the correct cabinet, he took down some plates. The move clearly surprised his friend. “Jared, you don’t have to do that. I invited you remember?” He just smiled in response, putting some silverware on the plates. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.” Before the other man could comment further, he took the items into the tiny spot designated as the dining room.  
  
He set out the gathered dishes before going back for some glasses. They joined the plates shortly after and his third trip into the kitchen was for actual drinks. “What did you want to drink?” The question clearly made Misha uneasy. “Jared, please go sit down. You shouldn’t be waiting on me.” He resolutely pushed down his annoyance. What Misha was feeling wasn’t just a product of him being a host. It had been commonplace for Misha to wait on Brent hand and foot without getting so much as a thank you. That was going to change.  
  
He couldn’t control what would happen if Misha was with someone else but he could make sure that pattern wasn’t maintained between them. “Again, I don’t mind. Besides, you better get used to it. The further along you get, the more I’m going to wait on you. It’s instinctual, I can’t help it.” That made the other man smirk, his disbelief in his last statement apparent. “You can’t, huh? That seems a little like a cop out.” He smiled widely. “Nope, not at all. Now, what did you want to drink?” With a sigh, Misha gave in with a tiny smile. “Some milk, please.”  
  
He went over to the fridge to retrieve the selected drink. “That sounds good. I’ll have some of that too, if that’s okay?” Glancing briefly in Misha’s direction, he watched him stirring the food in the pot. “Feel free, whatever you want to drink is fine.” Now that he had the affirmative, he retrieved the milk from the fridge. “Awesome, I’ll be back in a minute.” Not waiting for a response, he left the kitchen to fill their glasses. He came back a minute later to return the milk to the fridge and planted himself against the counter on his hip. “So did you already have a theme picked out for the nursery?”  
  
The question made Misha look toward him again, a bashful smile on his face. “Yes and no. I just wanted it to look bright, happy. Then the other day I found this border paper with bears on it. I think I kind of want to go in that direction now. It’s also gender neutral which is good since I don’t know the sex of the baby.” He smiled a little, imaging the nursery when it was done. “Did you buy the border paper?” Another bashful smile pulled at Misha’s lips. “Yeah, I couldn’t help it. Did you want to see it?” He nodded automatically, standing up from his casual lean. “Yeah, definitely.”  
  
The stirring spoon was removed from the pot and set down on a plate on the small countertop near the stove. “Okay, just a second.” When Misha left the kitchen he did too. He doubted the moist air in the kitchen would be good for the adhesive on the border paper. As soon as the other man approached him with the paper, he held up his hands to take it in his grip. The first thing he noticed was that the paper had a light blue background. It was obviously a representation of the sky. The second thing he took in was the designs on the middle and the bottom of the paper.  
  
Looking over the repeating pattern on the paper he couldn’t help smiling. There was a sequence of tiny brown bears on the paper, all of them wearing a blue bow around their neck. They were doing different things. One of them was sitting on a cloud, another was picking a daisy, one was curled up on a crescent moon sleeping and so on until the pattern started to repeat itself. “I can see why you bought this, it’s adorable.” The other man shrugged a little, looking at the paper as well. “I saw it and I just knew I needed to get it. The only thing is; I have no idea how to put it up.  
  
I’ve never been very good at that kind of stuff. I’m hoping if I mess up, they’ll have more at the store.” He lowered the paper a little, folding it over gently so it didn’t hit the floor. “It’s not hard to put up at all and you bought plenty. I think you’ll actually have some left-over. If you want, I could help you to put it up. When I was growing up my dad was always having me help out with this kind of stuff.” Instead of looking instantly pleased as he’d hoped, Misha looked a little uncertain. “I don’t know Jared. I mean, I appreciate the offer it’s just you’ve done so much already.”  
  
He tried not to frown. Of course that was the problem. His friend wasn’t used to others doing nice things for him. “I don’t mind. It’s no trouble.” When Misha still looked uncertain he decided to go a different route. “Okay, I’ll tell you what. How about we trade? I’ll help decorate the nursery and you cook us both dinner. It’s no secret that I love your cooking.” That made his friend blush a little which in turn made him smile. “Jared, that’s not fair. I would have offered to do that anyway.” He tilted his head a little, putting an ‘ah’ sort of expression on his face.  
  
“Yes, you would have but the point remains that you’d also be doing me a favor. We both know I’m hopeless in the kitchen. So do we have a deal? I'll help with a little nursery decorating in exchange for a home cooked meal.” The paper was taken away from him, the other man smiling warmly. “It’s a deal. You really are too good to me.” Now that his hands were free, he waved off the words. “Same goes for you Misha.” They shared a smile before the other man left the room again. When he returned the pasta was finished and they both settled down to share a companionable meal.  
  
TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

Using one hand he held the border paper steady and using the other he smoothed it along the edge of the ceiling. He moved carefully, slowly. This was the last of it and so far, he’d made no mistakes. They still had plenty left over if he did mess up but why do the job twice when he could do it right the first time. As soon as he was done, he climbed down the small step ladder. With a sweeping glance he looked around the entire nursery. “Well, what do you think?” He turned to the second occupant of the room, hoping he liked the end result.  
  
It was a little hard to determine his reaction at first glance since the lower half of Misha’s face was obscured by a surgical mask. The mask had been his idea. There was a small degree of fumes in the air. He wanted the other man to be protected against the lingering chemicals. “It’s perfect.” He smiled only to pause at seeing the tears pooling in the vibrant blue of his friend’s eyes. “What’s wrong?” The question made Misha shake his head, the corners of his eyes crinkling in the way that showed he was smiling. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just, I’m happy.” The relief that went through him was like a gentle wave and he smiled softly at the announcement. “Oh, good.”  
  
Suddenly feeling awkward, he lifted a hand to scratch at the back of his head. “So uh, did you want me to put together this crib? Once you have the furniture all set up, you’ll know where to hang the rest of the decorations.” The tentative look was back, so he headed Misha off at the pass. Lifting his hand, he moved it in front of himself in a small sweep. “I’m offering, so don’t feel bad for accepting.” When his friend’s head dipped down shyly, he knew that he’d managed to sway the conversation in his direction. “Okay, um then I accept. Before we get started why don’t we take a break for lunch? I can make us some sandwiches.”  
  
He gave an easy nod, his stomach growling at the mere mention of food. “That sounds great. I’ll be there in a minute. I’m just going to open this window so the room can vent.” It wasn’t until he was alone that he turned toward the window. He pulled it open easily, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. The white sheer curtains already adorning the windows swayed in the breeze and he found himself looking around the still unfinished nursery again. Suddenly he was immersed in fantasy. The nursery was finished, he was standing at the changing table putting out new diapers, in the corner by the window Misha was rocking the baby slowly, the little bundle held tight to his chest as it ate.  
  
He could see himself walking over, leaning down to kiss both father and then child on the head. The tightness in his chest was what pulled him back to reality. He blinked back the forming tears, forcing the images to vanish from his mind. With brisk steps he made his way to the bathroom to clean up for lunch. The simple meal was a comfortable but quick affair. It didn’t take long before he found himself back in the nursery, un-wrapping the pieces of the crib. He sat down on the floor, reading the directions when Misha came back into the room carrying a toolbox.  
  
Looking at the way the other man leaned a little, he suddenly felt panic race through his veins. “Is that too heavy? I can…” He was already getting ready to climb to his feet when Misha waved him back down with his free hand. “It’s a little heavy but nothing I can’t handle. I’m fine.” Before there could be any further debate, the tool box was set down on the carpeted floor. “Did you want something to drink?” He gave a small nod, sending the other man a tiny smile. “Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks.” The smile was returned before Misha turned to leave the room.  
  
He watched him go until he disappeared and then turned his focus on the toolbox. Pushing around a few of the tools, he pulled out a Phillips head screwdriver. “Here you go.” He almost jumped at the words. The other man was far too quiet sometimes. Sending Misha a small smile he took the offered beer. As soon as it was in his grasp, the other man sat down next to him on the floor, his feet curled up in front of him Indian style. He paused again with his surprise. “You don’t have to stay. I can handle this on my own.” A smile was sent his way but Misha didn’t move from his position.  
  
“I know. I want to help.” He was tempted to try to get his friend to leave. Although he loved spending time with Misha, the other man should be resting. He’d already been on his feet for quite some time just helping with the border paper. Apparently, he was an open book because Misha addressed his hesitance a moment later. “I’ll take it easy. I promise. All I’ll do is sit here, hand you some tools and keep you company.” He frowned a little but decided not to push. The other man knew his own body’s limits. Still, he couldn’t help being paranoid.  
  
“You promise me you’ll go rest if you get tired.” The other man held up his right hand, his palm facing outward. “I swear.” Letting the frown fall away, he gave his friend a tiny smile. “Okay, then let’s get started.” He turned back toward the crib’s frame and got everything in place to connect the two pieces. Looking over his shoulder briefly, he looked at his companion. “Can you please hand me the socket wrench.” The other man turned toward the toolbox only to pause. “Er..” Not able to help himself; a fond smile slid across his face. “It’s the one on the second tier to the right. The one with the circular end.”  
  
With his guidance, Misha’s hand easily found the right tool. “Is this it?” The tool was held up for him to see it clearly. “Yep, that’s the one.” At the confirmation, the other man handed it over with a blush. “Hm, sorry. I don’t really know anything about tools. Well beyond what a hammer is and that there are two different types of screwdrivers. My Dad tried to teach me some of this stuff growing up but I never could seem to remember any of it.” He sent his friend another smile, getting to working connecting the two pieces of the frame together.  
  
“Don’t apologize; everyone’s got their thing they’re good at and something that they don’t know much about. You already know I can’t cook. The last time I used my stove they practically had to evacuate the building.” This made Misha laugh and he felt a thrill go through him at hearing the light sound. “It wasn’t that bad.” He threw the other man an amused glance, tightening up the frame. “Oh, come on now, be honest, you saw that pot roast. It was so black it looked like a meteor.” When the response came, he could easily hear in the words that Misha was fighting a smile.  
  
“Okay, it was pretty bad. Still, I really don’t think you’d have as many problems if you just remembered to set the oven timer.” He laughed a little as well, lining up another loose piece of the frame. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” They shared an amused glance, the two of them quietly conversing as he slowly built the crib. When it was upright, he did a final check to make sure everything was tightened. With that done, he took a step back to examine the assembled crib. “This is really nice Misha. I can see why you picked this one.” It was made out of a deep maple wood, the two frames having engravings of leaves on winding vines etched into the wood.  
  
Now that it was finished his friend climbed to his feet and stepped forward to skim his hands along the frame. “Thanks, I liked it right away. Seeing it again, I remember why I fell in love with it in the first place.” As he watched Misha’s gaze slowly slid to the mattress propped against a wall. The other man had literally just taken one step forward before he blocked his path. “Oh no you don’t. There is no way you’re lifting that mattress.” He was sent a dismissive shake of the head and Misha moved to walk past him. “It’s not that heavy. I can easily handle it.”  
  
Countering the movement, he ignored the small frown forming on his friend’s face. “But it’s awkward. There’s no reason for you to move it when I’m here to move it for you. Besides, it’s a good idea to place the crib first anyway.” He let a teasing smile come to his face. “That is unless you want to leave it in the middle of the room.” The small frown fell away from Misha’s face, his eyes narrowing playfully as his arms rose to cross over his chest. “Alright, I guess I can see your point.” He smiled widely with his victory. “See that wasn’t so hard now was it.”  
  
A finger landed on his chest, poking him lightly. “Don’t push your luck mister. I still haven’t started dessert yet.” He laughed a little, barely resisting pulling his friend into a hug. “I’ll behave, I promise. Now, where do you want the crib?” At the serious question, Misha looked around briefly before pointing to the wall across from the closet. “Over there.” With a nod, he walked over to get a handhold on the crib. The castors were still unlocked, so he decided to just push it into place. When Misha moved forward to help, he held up his index finger. “Don’t even think about it. You stay right there.”  
  
He kept his expression gentle but serious at the same time. The words prevented further movement as he’d hoped. What he didn’t plan on was Misha frowning, looking for all the world like a kicked puppy. As tough as it was not to cave, he held strong. There were other ways he could help but moving the furniture wasn’t one of them. Once the crib was situated against the wall, he knelt to secure the castors. Standing up again when he was finished, he walked over to pick up the mattress. It was picked up easily and within seconds he had it resting in the crib.  
  
“There we go, all done. Are you up to assembling the changing table?” The question earned him a small smile and Misha nodded in the affirmative. Walking over to the still boxed changing table, he started to withdraw all of the pieces. Behind him on the floor, his friend once more positioned himself next to the toolbox. The assembly for the changing table ended up being a little more complicated than the crib. In the long run though it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. If he could re-wire a house then this was a cake walk. When it was finished, Misha directed him to place it against the wall by the door.  
  
From there he suggested they start to work on a double-sided dresser. They were only mid-way through its assembly before Misha had to excuse himself to start their dinner. Before his friend had left, he’d asked where it would be placed. With that knowledge in hand, he’d placed it opposite the crib under the wide window. The last of the furniture that needed to be assembled was a rocking chair. He didn’t even pause to tell Misha he was going to put it together. It hadn’t actually been discussed but he wanted to surprise his friend.  
  
He only hoped it wasn’t going to do the exact opposite and make him upset. The rocking chair ended up taking longer than everything else to put together but he managed to get it finished before dinner was done. That was really all he cared about. Taking a guess, he placed it in the corner near the window. When he took a step back to look at the room, his breath caught in his throat. It was just how he’d imagined it. He felt his heart rate picking up, his hands shaking a little. What were the odds that Misha would set it up just like he’d envisioned?  
  
“You put together the rocking chair.” He looked toward the door a little startled. Suddenly he was grateful for the encroaching darkness of nightfall. He had a feeling his features were betraying too much. With a clearing of his throat, he looked down to the floor briefly. “Yeah, I thought I’d be proactive. I hope you’re not upset and I just put it there since I didn’t know where you wanted it.” The other man moved further into the room, his fingers brushing softly over the top of the chair. “Of course, I’m not upset. What a nice surprise.”  
  
With that Misha moved closer, his arms lifting to pull him into a hug. He gulped a little, melting into the touch as he raised his own arms to return the embrace. “Thank you so much Jared, for everything.” With a shaky breath, he pushed out a response. “You’re welcome.” It was hard to think coherently with Misha tucked against his body. The other man fit perfectly against him, like the two of them were made to fit together. It didn’t even matter that there was a small bump between their bodies now. Somehow it still worked. He wanted to reach down, to run his hand along the small protrusion, to show both father and child his love with one gentle touch.  
  
The haze he’d fallen into was suddenly broken when Misha pulled back. He was still close, both of his hands moving up to rest on his shoulders. A light playful smile was on his lips and it was a little too easy to believe that Misha really was his. “And where you put it is perfect. I swear, you must have read my mind. From the start, I knew that were I wanted it.” He blinked once, twice before really processing what he was hearing. “Oh, huh, that’s great. I’m glad to hear it.” A delighted laugh left Misha’s lips, his hands leaving his shoulders as he stepped away.  
  
“Are you ready to eat? I actually came in to tell you dinner was done. Your surprise distracted me.” He gave a small nod. Most of his focus was centered on not pulling Misha back into his embrace. “Great, let’s get to the kitchen then before it gets cold. I made an old family recipe. You’ll have to let me know what you think.” The smile he gave his companion was warm. “I’m sure I’ll love it.” He didn’t add the silent thought that he was sure he would because he loved everything about his friend already.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Holding up the small frame, he looked over his shoulder to connect gazes with his friend. “What about here?” There was a small frown on Misha’s face, his features pinched with his uncertainty. “Can you move it a little more to the left?” Following the request, he moved it as far as he could. “This is about as far left as I can move it. Past this point we’ll need to find a new stud.” The frown lightened a little. “Okay, um can you move just a hair back to the right?” He did as was requested trying not to lose his precarious balance draped over the crib. “Right there is perfect.”  
  
With a nod, he marked the wall lightly with a pencil. It bothered Misha that he had to do that but he assured him it could be erased after the nail was in the wall. That was the last picture that needed to be placed, so he made his way over to the toolbox to get some nails. As he grabbed two nails and the hammer he glanced over at his friend. He was busy wiping down all of the furniture with a damp cloth. It was an important step after opening anything that had been sitting in a warehouse. Still, he couldn’t help but worry that Misha was pushing himself too hard.  
  
He jerked in place a second later when his friend addressed him. “You can relax. I’ve cleared light cleaning with my doctor.” For a second he didn’t know what to say but eventually he found the words he was looking for. Well, sort of anyway. “How did you…” A chuckle left his friend, an amused glance tossed briefly over a slim shoulder. “It’s kind of hard not to know what you’re thinking, when your worried gaze is boring into the back of my skull.” He frowned a little, feeling a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. “Not that I really mind it, of course.”  
  
With that Misha paused for a moment to turn to him fully. “I think it’s really sweet that you’re so worried about me.” As he watched the other man lifted his right hand to smooth it gently over his stomach. “About the both of us.” There was a soft look on Misha’s face, one he couldn’t identify. All of a sudden, the embarrassment took complete hold. He looked to the floor quickly with a smile, his hand lifting to scratch the back of his head as a heat started to take residence in his face. “Yeah, well..ah.” That was all he could think to say. He scrambled for something else but thankfully Misha saved him by changing the subject. “I was hoping you’d stay for lunch.”  
  
Clearing his throat loudly, he looked back up with a smile that trembled a little. “I’d like that a lot.” A bright smile was sent his way at the response. “Great, I’ll go get something together as soon as I’m done with the changing table.” He gave a small nod, watching Misha’s back for a few seconds when he returned to his task. Finally forcing his gaze away, he approached one of the marked areas on the wall. With grim determination, he focused on the task at hand. Sometime after hanging the first picture he was left alone in the room.  
  
It was as he was straightening the frame of the last picture to be hung up that Misha reentered the room to announce that lunch was done. They both took a small break to eat minestrone soup and a slice of thick bread. When the dishes were put away, they headed back into the nursery. As soon as Misha confirmed he liked where all of the pictures were, he started to pack up the toolbox. He had just returned from putting it away when he was prompted to wait there by his friend. As he stood silently waiting, he looked around the room with appreciation.  
  
It was almost completely done now. All it was missing were some personal touches. Some things like linens, supplies and toys would make the room ready for the baby. Almost as if on cue, Misha re-entered the room holding some soft fabrics. “I wanted to show you what I bought.” Shaking out some of the bundle in his arms, the other man attached it to the rocking chair. It didn’t take long for him to realize it was a cushion for the chair. The color was a deep blue, the strings attaching it to the chair tying neatly around the maple wood.  
  
Once that was done, Misha walked over to the changing table. A small cushioned fabric was laid over its surface, tumbling brown bears all over the white linen. “Well, what do you think? I thought these bears were a good match for the border paper and I thought the blue cushions would look good with the light blue in the room.” He nodded easily. The observations held true but he was a little distracted by the radiant joy on Misha’s face. Suddenly the other man’s eyebrows drew together as he looked at the floor. “Hmm, after all of the work in here, I really do need to vacuum. The floor’s a mess.”  
  
Walking over he gently gripped his friend by the shoulders and purposefully led him into the hallway. “Jared, what?” At first, he didn’t respond, just walked past him to retrieve the vacuum. Wheeling it past his friend and into the nursery he finally gave a verbal response. “You stay right there. I’ll take care of it.” At first Misha sputtered, apparently thrown. He used the time to his advantage, plugging in the vacuum cleaner in the closest outlet. Shortly after that, his friend found his voice again. “Wait, Jared, that’s just ridiculous. I’m perfectly capable of…”  
  
He turned the vacuum cleaner on and started to glide it over the carpet. When he spoke again, he did so loudly, his words purposefully childish. “Oh, what was that? I’m sorry, I can’t hear you. I guess you’ll just have to wait until I’m done vacuuming the nursery.” He looked toward his friend with an indulgent smile, not letting the small frown on Misha’s face bother him in the least. Looking away a moment later, he started to whistle as he completed his task. When he was finally done, he went past his friend again to put the vacuum away.  
  
It was only when he joined the other man once more in the nursery that he commented. “I’m not going to break you know. I’m having a baby; I’m not made out of glass.” He gave a careless shrug, sitting down in the center of the room. “I know; I just like to help out when I’m here.” With a smile, his friend joined him on the floor. “Why do I have a feeling that if you had your way, I wouldn’t lift a finger for the next several months?” All he did was smile, letting Misha see the answer in his expression. That made the other man scoff lightly; laugher hedging around the sound.  
  
“I would be two hundred pounds by the time the baby was born. You do know I’m supposed to move around right? It’s good for me to get some light exercise every day.” He smiled again, stretching out his legs and bending his knees a little. “That sounds like a plan. You let me handle things like moving furniture and vacuuming the carpet. Then later we can go for a walk, so you can get some exercise.” The other man gave him an eye roll and laughed lightly. “You’re impossible.” He laughed a little as well, flexing lightly to stretch the muscles in his back. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”  
  
The statement made Misha look at him a little curiously. “Oh really.” He nodded his head easily, a slow smile coming to his face. “Hmm hum.” Before his friend could comment further, he laid down on the floor. Reaching into the open closet, he grabbed the medium sized gift bag he’d hidden there earlier. Sitting back up, he shifted on the floor until he was facing his friend. He held out the deep gold bag with one hand as soon as he was situated. The other man took it tentatively, laying it on his lap when it was in his grip. Using both fingers the other man gently pulled apart the string that was holding the bag closed.  
  
With light movements, some tissue paper made its way to the floor before Misha reached beyond the wrapping. Another second later he removed a stuffed brown bear from the bag. He watched his friend’s reaction closely, focusing for a moment on the one fingertip that skimmed along the deep blue bow at the bear’s neck. When the other man did look back up, he was startled to see tears in his eyes. Immediately panic shot through him. The last thing he’d wanted to do was upset his friend. “Misha, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to..” His intended words fell away when a hand landed lightly on his wrist.  
  
“No, it’s okay. These are..” The words were interrupted by a hiccupping sob. Despite that, Misha pressed on a second later. “These are happy tears. I’m really, really happy.” Another beat later and Misha broke down completely. He held the bear tightly to his chest, his other hand rising to cover his eyes. Not really thinking about it, he drew his friend into an embrace. Immediately the other man melted into him, sobbing softly against his chest. He didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t speak. All he did was gently card through the soft dark hair and rub a soothing hand from Misha’s neck to the bottom of his spine.  
  
Eventually the tears subsided, the other man sniffling lightly against his chest. Several long minutes passed before Misha pulled away completely. “I’m sorry.” He immediately shook his head. “Don’t apologize. It’s okay.” Seeing that his friend’s face was still damp and he was still sniffling he climbed to his feet. “Wait right here, okay? I’ll be right back.” He made his movements quick, not wanting to leave Misha alone too long. Thankfully his search hadn’t taken long and he was able to return within minutes. Sitting back down on the floor, he removed a tissue from the box. “Here.”  
  
Reaching out, Misha took the tissue into his grip before wiping off his face. When the skin was clear of moisture, it found its way to his friend nose. The tissue was held there as the other man tried to blow his nose as subtly as possible. When he felt the time was right, he handed Misha another tissue. This one found its way to his shirt first, dabbing at the damp spot at his chest. “Sorry.” Reaching up he gently gripped Misha’s hand stopping the movement. “Don’t apologize. You don’t have anything to apologize for.” At that the other man’s bottom lip quivered, his gaze flicking to the right as tears started to build in his eyes. He released the hand in his grip at seeing this, not surprised when it went to Misha’s nose a second later. “Okay.”  
  
Not really letting himself think about it, he gently pulled the other man back into his arms. He held him there, letting his turbulent emotions play out. On occasion, he’d reach down to get him a new tissue and not once did he regret being a part of this moment. Not even when Misha accidently dropped some dirty tissues in his lap. All he’d been able to do was laugh lightly and rub soothingly down the other man’s back. He couldn’t do anything less because this moment was perfect. It was perfect in the way that life was imperfect. And he wouldn’t have had it any other way.  
  
TBC...


	3. Chapter 3

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The door to his shower had literally just closed when he heard the phone ring. He groaned heavily in annoyance. Not bothering to grab a towel, he quickly made his way into the living room. It was just in time to hear the answering machine pick up. “Hey Jared, it’s me, pick up. Come on dude, I know you’re home. You have no life. Oh wait, that’s right, I forgot. Now you’ve got a boyfriend. Sweet little Misha to cook you dinner, to keep you company, to give you jerk-off fanta…” The minute Jensen had mentioned Misha, he’d dove for the phone.  
  
“Enough already, what is wrong with you? What if he’d been here?” Instead of sounding reproachful, Jensen just scoffed. “If he was, you would have picked up sooner.” He groused a little, making his way back toward the bathroom. “I picked up as soon as I could. It’s not my fault you’ve got terrible timing.” Reaching the bathroom, he yanked a towel off the rack one-handed. “Oh, so you actually were jerking-off. I can call back later.” He paused in shock, his face turning crimson. “I wasn’t..I wasn’t jerking off. I was in the shower.” Trying to ignore the fact that he was blushing, he started to dry his hair one-handed with brisk motions.  
  
“Ah, I see, so you just finished spanking the monkey.” He groaned, making his agony over this conversation clear. “Can we please change the subject?” A laugh came over the line making him scowl. “Yeah sure, no problem. So, have you asked him out yet?” He removed the towel from his hair starting to make his way down his body. “That’s not the subject I wanted to change it to.” Now that he was basically dry, he let the towel drop to the floor and made his way back into his bedroom. “Oh it wasn’t? Too bad, you only get one freebee topic change. So, did you ask him out?”  
  
Reaching his bed, he flopped back down onto the mattress. He looked at the slowly turning fan overhead. It would dry any residual dampness on his skin. “No, not yet.” The answer was a grumble. He wasn’t looking forward to Jensen’s response. “Dude, it’s been weeks! He’s probably starting to wonder what he’s doing wrong.” The scowl on his face was immediate and couldn’t be helped. “I doubt he’s wondering anything. Even before he got pregnant we hung out all the time.” His friend was quick to shoot down his argument. 

“No way man, this is different. You’ve been seeing him practically every day, you’ve been falling all over yourself to wait on him and you bought his kid a present. The first one he or she has ever gotten. Trust me; he’s starting to wonder why you haven’t made a move. It’s only going to get harder the further along he gets because the bigger he gets..” He interrupted the other man, his temper flaring. “Watch it.” There was a moment of silence before Jensen continued. 

“Wow, dude you’ve got it bad. All I was going to say was that the bigger he gets the more insecure about his body he’s going to become. And seriously Jared, this is me we’re talking about. Like I’m going to bad mouth some guy or girl I know you like.” The explanation made his temper deflate and right behind it guilt took its place. “Sorry, I know you wouldn’t. I’m just really protective of him, especially considering the boyfriend he used to have.” He lifted a hand to shield his eyes, feeling like a complete idiot. “Hey, don’t worry about it. No offense taken or anything.” A smile slid over his face, his hand flopping back onto the bed. “Thanks man.” He shifted onto his front, letting the fan dry off his back.  
  
“Again, don’t worry about it. So anyway, when are you going to ask him out?” Releasing a weary sigh, he buried his face in his pillow. “I don’t know.” He could visualize in his mind the other man shaking his head. “You’re going to miss out on your chance if you don’t take it soon.” Although he was loath to admit it, he knew that Jensen was right. With a sigh, he said as much. “I know.” Barely a second went by before the other man responded. “Are you seeing him tonight?” He flopped to his right, landing on his back once more. “Yeah, he invited me to dinner. I’m heading over there in about two hours.”  
  
Sitting up he brushed his hair out of his eyes. Just mentioning it reminded him that he needed to finish getting ready soon. “Good, then ask him tonight.” He just resisted groaning. “It’s not that easy.” Before he could even try to elaborate, his best friend shot him down. “Yes, it is. Go over, eat dinner, thank him and then ask him out. Stop over thinking it. The next time I visit I expect to meet him and for you to introduce him to me as Misha your boyfriend.” He narrowed his eyes, frowning at the phone. “Dude you only live twenty minutes away. You visit me all the time.”  
  
The response he got only made his frown deepen. “Exactly, so stop delaying. Now get ready and I’ll call you later.” They exchanged their goodbyes, his head shaking at his friend’s antics. For a time after he’d hung up the phone he remained sitting on his bed. It was strange to think that tonight was the night. After all of the heartache, all of the pining, he was finally going to ask Misha to go out. He suddenly felt a little sick to his stomach. Pushing away the feeling, he got to his feet and finished getting ready. Arriving at Misha’s apartment on the nose, he stood awkwardly waiting to be admitted entrance.  
  
The door opened shortly after he knocked, his friend giving him a warm smile. “Hi, come in.” He walked into the apartment casually, his body language more at ease then he actually felt. “Hi, how are you feeling?” That had become a common question. He wanted to make sure the other man was feeling as good as he could. “I’m feeling pretty good. You’ll be pleased to know all I’ve done today is one small load of laundry.” That made him smile widely. “You’re right, that does please me.” Not sure what else to say, he changed the subject. “So, am I too early?”  
  
The other man was quick to shake his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “No, dinner will be done in just a few minutes. Please, have a seat.” He bypassed the living room, heading straight for the kitchen. “That’s okay, I’ll set the table.” The other man rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. They went through the motions getting dinner ready and eventually sat down to a pleasant meal. After eating dessert they retired to the living room, sitting close to one another on the couch. He sat on the plush cushions a ball of nerves. The time had come to ask Misha out.  
  
It’s just that he couldn’t seem to get the words to form in his throat and he couldn’t seem to stop his palms from sweating. Feeling more than a little self conscious, he slid his hands down the front of his jeans. “Is everything alright?” He actually jumped, turning to his companion with wide eyes. “Huh, what? Uh..I mean yeah, everything’s fine.” Giving the other man a shaky smile, he looked back toward the TV. “Jared?” He met Misha’s gaze again, swallowing thickly. “Yeah?” They fell into silence both of them just staring at one another.  
  
It was the other man who eventually spoke. “I..I um..” He didn’t say anything, feeling a little hazy. The vibrant blue of Misha’s eyes was drawing him in, making it difficult to think clearly. Then suddenly the few inches between them were gone. His personal space was invaded by a familiar presence and he felt the soft touch of lips slide against his own partially open mouth. Unwillingly his eyelids slid closed, his muscles melting into the couch. Then just as suddenly the touch was gone. The abrupt withdrawal made him open his eyes and he was surprised to see Misha looking at him in a horrified shock.  
  
“I’m sorry Jared. I shouldn’t have done that.” He looked so scared, so uncertain. It was enough to make him push past his own barriers. Lifting a hand, he slid it along the side of Misha’s face. Leaning in a little closer, he spoke in a whisper. “No, you should have.” With that he closed the remaining distance between them. This time he was an active participant. His lips brushed lightly over Misha’s, his head tilting to seal them together more securely. When the other man’s mouth opened in an outward sigh, he pushed his tongue in gently.  
  
He took his time, mapping out every inch he discovered. The breath panted from his mouth, fanning against Misha’s skin and pushing into his mouth. An arm wrapped around his companion’s waist, drawing him tight to his chest. He could feel their body heat rising, could feel the way Misha trembled against his frame. Moaning he leaned a little closer, pulled the other man tighter to him until he was practically on his lap. Then with a pant Misha turned his head away. Before he could even start to panic about why he’d stopped the other man was speaking.  
  
“Jared, wait please. I’m sorry.” He held perfectly still, maintaining his hold despite how much his heart wanted to panic. “What’s wrong?” A shaky hand slid into his hair, Misha turning a little to plant a soft kiss in the corner of his mouth. “I can’t go all the way. Not yet, I’m not ready. Please understand.” He pulled back a little, giving his friend a reassuring smile. “We’ll take all the time you need. I wouldn’t ever want you to be with me before you’re ready.” Looking down, he asked what he’d been trying to earlier.  
  
“I was wondering though if maybe you’d want to go out. You know, on a date.” He did look up then in brief quick glances. “Yeah?” Hearing the happiness in his friend’s tone, he looked up again to connect their gazes. “Yeah.” The bright smile he received made him feel light. “I’d love to.” At that he leaned forward again, brushing his lips lightly over the other man’s. He kept it simple this time, kept his passions in check. For now he was just happy that they were sharing something as simple and as glorious as a kiss.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Closing the door to Misha’s apartment, he gently pushed his date up against its surface. The touch was gentle if not a little frantic. They were currently bringing date number five to a close. The pattern they’d established before had held. Several times a week he’d go to Misha’s for dinner and he’d check in to see if the other man needed anything. They only counted the times they went out as the actual dates. Still, all of that time together was taking its toll on his libido. It wasn’t uncommon for them to kiss or to get into heated make-out sessions. Beyond that though, they hadn’t advanced.  
  
He didn’t want to push and Misha hadn’t given any indication he was ready for more. Well, that was until this exact moment anyway. At present the other man was sucking on his tongue, his hands were skimming wherever they could reach and one of his legs was wrapped around his calf. With a serious amount of effort, he yanked his mouth away. A little moan filtered through the air that had his blood racing. Forcing himself to focus, he released his handhold on Misha’s waist to brace against the door above his head. “We have to stop. It’s too much Misha. I’m losing control.”  
  
A hand settled on his face, two fingertips skimming over his lips. “What if I don’t want to stop?” He shuddered hard, tipping his head forward. “Please don’t say that if you don’t mean it.” The hand slid downward, skimming along his neck and settling in the small open space above his shirt buttons. “I do mean it Jared. I want to be with you.” That was all he needed to hear. Leaning back down, he refastened their mouths. They kissed frantically for a few more seconds before he reached down to lift Misha off of his feet. A noise that sounded suspiciously like a squeak pushed into his mouth and he grinned a little at the surprise he’d caused.  
  
The long legs quickly wrapped around his waist aiding in him carrying the other man through the living room. He headed directly to Misha’s bedroom, not wanting to make either of them wait any longer. Using the most infinite of care, he laid the other man down on the comforter of his bed. Following him down a second later, he resumed their kissing as he reached down to take off his right shoe. It was thrown to the floor quickly, his other hand then taking off the left. The socks soon followed before he stared in on Misha’s shirt. He’d only gotten it halfway open when the other man suddenly pulled out of the kiss.  
  
“Wait, are you sure you don’t want to leave it on? I’m already getting pretty big.” Although he’d hardly call the medium sized bump big, he could easily recognize that Misha was feeling self-conscious. “You’re beautiful.” He started to unbutton the shirt again, leaning down to gently kiss along the slender neck. “I want to be able to see every inch of you.” There was still a small amount of tension in the other man’s body but he didn’t object to the shirt being completely removed. The touch of his lips started to move further downward when the shirt came off.  
  
He made his way across the pale chest, his lips touching in a light kiss on each nipple. Moving further downward, he placed gentle licks along his ribs and spread open mouthed kisses along the round stomach. Leaning up on his knees, he rubbed over the bump with one hand. The touch was soothing, loving. While he did that, he used his other hand to gently pull off the pants covering Misha’s lower half. They came off easily enough, leaving his new lover in nothing but a pair of boxers. He settled both hands on the slim hips, rubbing the hips with the pads of his thumbs.  
  
Pulling away a little, he reached out to gently cup the other man’s arousal through the light fabric. It jerked up into his hand, Misha’s hips lifting off the bed. Sliding his hand away, he gently started to pull off the underwear. His eyes became fixed for a moment. All he could seem to focus on was the leaking erection straining upward and the dark forest of curls covering the sensitive skin. Not even making a conscious decision to do so, he kneeled down taking the tempting erection into his mouth. A strangled cry reached his ears, a hand tangling in his hair.  
  
He curled his tongue around the swollen flesh in his mouth, sucking softly around the head. The liquid hitting his tongue made him moan. It tasted so good and he wanted more. Opening his mouth, he slid down further, taking in every inch he was able to. The angle was a little awkward but he managed as best as he could. When he reached the base he sucked hard, inhaling the scent of Misha’s skin deeply. The new suction did what he’d hoped and he felt more of that delicious fluid slide down his throat. He pulled up a little again, swiping his tongue directly over the tip.  
  
The erection quivered at the touch, more fluid escaping. A tortured sound reached his ears, forcing him to pull away completely. “Uh..Jared.” He gently gripped the hand that reached for him, bringing it up to kiss the fingertips lightly. “Easy sweetheart, we’re not done, I promise. I need to know. How do you want to do this tonight?” It took a few seconds for Misha to answer, his chest heaving with his panting. “I want you inside me. Is that..is it what you want to?” He nodded easily, kissing the fingers again. “Yeah, I want that too. Very much.” The response made Misha smile and he smiled back at seeing it.  
  
Releasing the hand gently, he started to take off his shirt. His companion watched him avidly, a hand skimming along his chest as soon as the shirt came off. There was appreciation in his lover’s eyes and it made his ego inflate quite a bit. “And you say I’m beautiful.” He smiled softly, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on Misha’s partially open lips. “You are.” With that he sat back up again, starting to unbuckle his belt. It took a little bit of maneuvering but soon enough he was completely bare. He’d taken the pants and the boxers off all at the same time.  
  
They were both pinching his erection painfully; he didn’t see a reason to delay getting them off. Leaning forward again he paused briefly at feeling a hand settle around his erection. “Wow, you’re..huge.” He blushed a little at the compliment. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that but coming from Misha it carried more weight. “I’m not that big.” That earned him a raised eyebrow. “Pretty big. Definitely bigger than anyone I’ve ever been with before.” The other man paused for a beat before continuing with a bright blush. “Not that I’m saying I’ve been with a ton of guys because I haven’t. I just meant that the one’s that I have, well they weren’t..let’s just say in your league.”  
  
Even though the other man had amended his words it didn’t matter because the damage had already been done. His ego had gotten a seriously big stroke. Now it was determined to make sure he was the best Misha had ever had period. He tried not to give himself an internal sigh. Because you know, being the best, that’s no pressure at all. Pushing everything from his mind, he leaned down to gently deliver a kiss. “It’s alright, I know what you meant.” The lips under his own formed a little smile and he leaned even further into the kiss.  
  
Reaching down with his right hand, he gently pressed against the opening to Misha’s body. It was already swollen and dripping he was so wet. He sighed into the kiss, feeling pleasure creep up his spine at the discovery. The gentle hand around his erection was driving him to distraction and it wasn’t long before he was rocking into the touch. Pulling away from the kiss a little, he spoke against Misha’s lips in a whisper. “I’m clean but we can use a condom if you want.” He had to bite back a moan when a thumb swiped over the tip of his erection.  
  
“No, it’s okay. I trust you and I want to feel you. I’m clean too. I was tested when I found out I was pregnant.” He gave a small nod, leaning down to gently nip along the other man’s jaw. If this was anyone else he would wear a condom period but this wasn’t just anyone this was Misha. He knew that he was telling the truth. There were very few people in the world that were as kind as the man in his arms and he would never do anything to hurt anyone intentionally. With a final solid sucking kiss to the other man’s jaw line, he pulled away to maneuver himself between the slightly spread legs.  
  
Seeing the movement, Misha spread himself open a little more and let his hand fall away from the light handhold he had on his erection. Leaning forward a little further, he gently guided his erection to the wet opening. Bracing one hand on the bed, he pushed inward slowly. His jaw clenched at the tightness, his muscles bulging with the strain to be gentle. The slow invasion made Misha arch, a low moan leaving his throat. After long moments he was buried deep, the slick walls around him tight from the unfamiliar stretch.  
  
When the other man whimpered, he leaned down to peck gentle kisses around his mouth. “Are you okay?” It took a few seconds but eventually Misha responded. “Yes, just wow.” He chuckled a little, resuming his light kisses. It was only when he felt the other man start to un-tense that he started up a gentle rocking motion. The tension was back automatically but Misha quickly eased into the new motion. He continued that way for awhile, letting the pleasure build slowly. It wasn’t until they were both out of breath and their skin was slick with sweat that he sped up.  
  
Leaning up on his hands, he withdrew only to push back in a small thrust. The motion made Misha cry out, his fingers digging into his hips. With a deep moan, he repeated the gentle thrust, his own body trembling from the satisfying strain. Eventually his lover reached his breaking point. He could see it in the haziness of his gaze and could feel it in the trembling of his thighs. Picking up his pace, he angled himself to hit the other man’s prostate. It only took one slide over the bundle of nerves before Misha was screaming out his orgasm. He kept up the gentle strokes through the climax, pinning his lover’s body down with the weight of his hips.  
  
The other man had barely been finished when he’d let go. He had held on to prolong Misha’s pleasure but his body finally took what it had so long been denied. With shaking limbs he held himself upright, finishing his orgasm embraced by the still contracting walls of Misha’s body. As soon as he was finished, he gently pulled away and rolled to flop down next to his lover. Reaching out with one arm, he pulled the other man close. He tucked him into his chest, not at all surprised when he was asleep seconds later.  
  
Using his free hand he pulled the comforter over them as best he could and settled down into the comfort of the mattress. Lying there in the dark room, trying to get his breathing back, he reached out to slide his hand over where the baby grew. It was strange to think that all of this was within his reach now. He had the chance to have a family. Not only that but to have a family with Misha. Smiling softly he left himself drift in domestic fantasies. They led him into sleep, their teasing promises for the first time ringing true.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
This would be date number ten. It was hard to believe they’d already reached double digits. He knocked on the door lightly, casting a glance down to the flowers he’d brought. A smile pulled at his lips thinking of Misha’s reaction. His lover adored getting gifts. It was something his previous boyfriend had never bothered to do. When the door didn’t come open he went ahead and went inside the apartment anyway. He didn’t even think twice about it since Misha had given him permission to do so. When they were going out, if his lover didn’t answer it meant he was normally still getting ready.  
  
Although the other man tried to be punctual the pregnancy made it difficult. Often times he’d get stopped in the middle of getting ready by a need to use the restroom or a now rarer bought of nausea. So they had a standing rule that he should knock first then come in if there was no response. The minute he stepped into the apartment he knew this wasn’t the typical incident. Although he didn’t have a visual, there were raised voices and they were coming from the bedroom. Looking toward the hallway, he moved through the living room with brisk steps.  
  
Absentmindedly he set the flowers down on an end table before disappearing down the tiny hallway. “I don’t understand why you’re even here?” That was Misha. He’d recognize his voice anywhere. “You can’t expect to just turn me out. Not now. I won’t let you.” It took him another second to recognize the other voice but when he did his jaw clenched. Reaching the bedroom, he didn’t bother to knock and opened the door with a wide swing. “I know what you really want.” The sight he walked in on made him see red. Not only was the unknown man Brent as he’d suspected but he was holding Misha tight against his chest.  
  
His lover was struggling against the grip, his head trying to arch away from the lips on his neck. Acting on instinct he moved forward. With one hand, he yanked Brent away from Misha and threw him into a wall. “No Jared, stop.” Although he heard the words, they didn’t register. All he could think about was protecting Misha, protecting the baby. Lifting his right fist, he punched Brent in the face. The other man tried to retaliate, sending a fist flying toward his jaw. He anticipated the move, leaning away to avoid any contact. In retaliation he sent a hard punch into Brent's stomach.  
  
The blow made Brent fold over in pain and he took the opportunity to punch him in the face again. “Jared!” He grabbed Brent by his shirt when it looked like he might slide to the floor. Pushing him back into the wall, he punched him in the face again. Then again, and again, and again until he could feel blood sliding down his hand. “Jared, stop!” It wasn’t the words that finally caught his attention, it was the tone. There was fear in it, pain. Releasing his hold on Brent, he turned to look at Misha. The look on his face was angered but he could see the deep seeded fear.  
  
Suddenly he felt guilty. He hadn’t been thinking, not really. It’s just what he’d seen; it had made his blood boil in a way he’d never experienced before. “Misha, I’m sorry. I just…” He never got to finish, the other man cutting him off. “I think you should leave.” It felt like someone stabbed him in the chest. For several long seconds he couldn’t breathe. He wanted to fight it, to convince Misha that he had been in the right. Anything he might have said though died in his throat when Misha dropped his gaze to the floor. He could feel tears spring to his eyes but he didn’t bother to try to hide them.  
  
It’s not like Misha could see them anyway. “Alright.” That was all he said, it was all he could say. He looked over the other man’s features one more time, knowing they might never see each other again. Doing his best he committed them to memory. Hopefully in the long cold nights to come the memory could bring him at least a little comfort. Forcing himself to turn away, he headed toward the front door. He made his way down the hallway quickly, wanting nothing more than to get home. The door to his own apartment had barely closed before he felt his emotions become unstable.  
  
Moving into his living room, he flopped down on the edge of his couch. He curled forward to place his head in his hands and suddenly he couldn’t contain the pain the just kept building in his chest. A sound tore from his throat that sounded inhuman. It was followed closely by a sudden flood of tears. He curled up even more into a ball, letting the pain out now that he was alone. In his own space there was no one to impress. He didn’t need to worry about being brave. If he felt broken, he could let that feeling remain. Staggering up from the couch sometime later, he raided his kitchen for some alcohol.  
  
He grabbed several bottles of strong liquor and set about getting drunk. After that time passed in a hazy slideshow. Sometimes he slept, he just wasn’t sure when. There were a few people who tried to call. He recognized some of their voices but none of them were who he really wanted to speak to. A loud knocking made him open his eyes blearily. He thought maybe he’d been sleeping but he wasn’t sure. Turning on the couch, he fell off the edge onto the floor. With a groan he pulled himself to his feet and staggered to his front door.   
  
TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Not bothering to see who it was, he pulled open the door roughly. On the other side was Jensen. The minute he’d opened the door, the other man had leaned back, his eyes squinting shut tightly. “Dude, you reek. What have you been drinking?” He didn’t answer the question, asking one of his own instead. “What do you want?” The other man pushed past him to walk into the apartment. “Well, hello to you too. I’ve been trying to call you for three days. No one could get a hold of you. I promised your mom I’d stop by. She’s been worried sick about you.”  
  
He stayed by the door, leaving it open. It was a not-so-subtle hint that he wanted Jensen to leave. “Well, I’m fine. So why don’t you leave and tell whoever cares.” Instead of leaving the other man looked over the bottles on the coffee table. “You’re pretty far from fine. So, what happened? I’m guessing this has to do with Misha.” With a sigh, he closed the door. He was tired and didn’t want to deal with this. Maybe if he answered Jensen’s question he would leave. It was a long-shot but it was the best he had at the moment. “I blew it alright. I let my temper get the best of me and now he wants nothing to do with me.”  
  
As he’d feared his friend sat down on the couch, making himself comfortable. “Okay that was vague. Details Jared, details.” He joined the other man on the couch, flopping down on the opposite side. “What does it matter. It’s over.” Leaning forward, he went to grab the alcohol within closest reach. It just happened to be a half-empty bottle of whiskey. When he’d first gotten it from the kitchen it had been full. Now he’d need to replace it later. He shrugged at the internal thought, not really wanting to think about grocery shopping. Actually, he didn’t want to think about anything at all.  
  
“It does matter. How can I, your personal love guru, fix the problem without all the details?” He shook his head a little, starting to lift the bottle to his lips. “You can’t help me. No one can. He doesn’t want anything to do with me.” Suddenly the bottle wasn’t in his hand. That made him blink owlishly for a moment, not understanding where it had disappeared too. “I have a feeling this is far less serious than you think. I’m going to get the two of you back together. I swear my work is never done. So, first things first, let’s get you sobered up.  
  
The last thing Misha is going to want is to see you drunk on his doorstep. With our luck you won’t be in his apartment for more than five minutes before you toss your cookies in one of his house plants.” Turning to his left, he blinked at the other man. “What?” That earned him an eye roll before Jensen climbed to his feet. “Alright, come on. Shower time for you, my friend.” He didn’t want to move but he went anyway. For some reason, he knew resisting wasn’t an option. A long shower, a small nap and three cups of coffee later he was feeling more human. They both sat at his small dining room table in silence.  
  
He was staring down into his coffee cup, a little angry with Jensen because it was his fault his brain cells were functioning once more. “Are you going to sit there brooding all afternoon or are you going to go talk to Misha?” Looking up he didn’t respond verbally but the answer was clear in his expression. “So that’s it huh? After three years of wanting this guy, _three years_. You’re just going to walk away after one fight.” He looked back down into his coffee cup feeling his heart contract painfully. “It doesn’t matter what I want. He was pretty clear.”  
  
A smack to the table made him look back up in time to see the other man get to his feet. “Alright, that’s it. If you’re not going to go talk to him than I am.” His eyebrows went down, his features pinching with worry. “What? Are you crazy? Sit back down.” Not listening to him, as per usual, Jensen started heading to the front door. He turned in his seat feeling a little panicked. “Jensen!” The other man turned enough to connect their gazes, his hand resting on the front door’s circular knob.

“Nope, can’t do it. You’ve reached a whole new level of pathetic Jared. I’m not going to let you wallow in misery when the solution lives just down the hall. So last chance, are you going to come with me or are you going to look like a five-year-old who has to send his _Dad_ to handle his problems?” With a huff, he got out of his seat and stalked to the door. “Dude, you are so lucky I think of you like a brother.” The door was opened as he approached. “Yeah, yeah, let’s save the ‘you let me get away with too much’ speech for later. Let’s focus on one thing at a time.” Although he was loath to, he walked the few steps to Misha’s door.  
  
Coming to a stop in front of the brown surface, he knocked briskly. Another second later Jensen joined him, looking as at ease as ever. Sometimes he really hated his best friend. He let about four seconds pass before he went to turn away. “Well, I guess he’s not home.” A hand landed on his shoulder before he could take more than a half a step. “Not so fast Speedy Gonzales. He’s not the Flash and he’s pregnant. Give him more than two seconds to get to the door.” With a grumble he turned back to the door and waited impatiently.  
  
As the minutes passed, his annoyance faded to be replaced by a growing concern. “What time is it?” He looked over to the other man as he lifted his wrist to look at his watch. “It’s a little after three. Why?” He knocked on the door again, a touch more urgently this time. “He should be home.” When all they were greeted with was silence, he was tempted to just walk in. At the last minute he refrained, knowing that the previous long-standing allowance was no longer in effect. So, he did the next best thing he could, he shouted through the door. “Misha!”  
  
They fell into a tense silence, his ears straining to hear the smallest sound. “Jared.” He felt his heart drop into his stomach. Turning to Jensen sharply, he could see the worry on his face as well. The issuance of his name had been low, had sounded weak and was filled with an almost overwhelming panic. Reaching down to grip the doorknob, he pushed the door open quickly. Moving through the living room with wide steps, he almost missed seeing the man they were looking for. It was only a small whimper that drew his gaze downward to the front of the couch.  
  
He was next to him on the floor in seconds. With gentle hands, he got him off of his hands and knees to rest against his chest. The gaze that met his own was full of fear. “Something’s wrong. It hurts..so bad.” Doing a visual sweep of the other man’s body, his gaze suddenly froze between Misha’s legs. There was red starting to seep through the pants at his inner thighs. Looking around the room, he quickly spotted Jensen. “Call 911.” Without needing to be told twice, his friend whipped out his cell phone and called for some help. Now that an ambulance was on its way, he refocused his attention on Misha.  
  
Keeping one arm securely around the other man’s waist, he lifted his free hand to gently card it through the dark hair. “It’s going to be okay.” He felt the other man shift a little, turning his head to bury it into his chest. Another second later a sob pushed into his shirt. “I don’t want to lose my baby.” Tightening his grip just a fraction, he cradled the other man close. “I know it’s hard but try to stay calm. That’s the best thing you can do right now. Whatever happens, it’s going to be okay.”  
  
He leaned down a little then whispering gently in the other man’s ear. “I’m here now Misha. I won’t leave you, okay? I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Looking up he shared a worried glance with his friend. Only a few seconds had passed but it felt like it had been an eternity. He wasn’t sure how much time they had left to spare. All he did know was that every second that passed could cost Misha and his baby their lives.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
He fidgeted in the hard plastic chair, trying to calm his nerves. The trip to the hospital had been a bit of a blur. When the paramedics had arrived, he’d lied and said he was Misha’s boyfriend. There was no way he was going to be separated from the other man over that small formality. It was only when they’d arrived at the hospital that they’d been separated. He forced himself to function enough to fill out some forms. It was as he was filling them out that Jensen arrived. They talked quietly when he was done with the forms, his friend doing his best to distract him from his worry.  
  
Eventually the doctor came to tell him the results and to let him know he could see Misha. That was how he found himself here now, shifting in a hard plastic chair, his nerves frayed to the point his hands were shaking. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting in the quiet room. It didn’t really matter so long as he could see Misha, so long as he could hear the steady beat of his heart on the monitor. Then suddenly there was a small movement. His eyes flew up to Misha’s face. Within seconds the other man’s eyes blinked open slowly.  
  
There was a long moment of disorientation before the blue eyes focused enough to take in the room. Almost immediately Misha was looking at him, panic starting to take root in his expression. “The baby?” The words were croaked out, barely audible. Reacting without thought, he reached out to gently grip Misha’s hand between his own. “The baby’s fine, you’re fine, everything’s okay.” He lifted the hand in his, placing a gentle kiss on the back of the fingers. “The doctor said it was close but everything’s okay now. They do want to hold you overnight for observation. Just as a precaution.”  
  
Looking down he suddenly realized what he was doing. Unable to help himself, he placed one more kiss on the hand before gently replacing it on the bed. Standing up slowly, he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Well, I better go so you can get some rest.” Before he got the chance to move, Misha spoke again. “Wait, will you wait for a minute.” He nodded once, sitting back down in the chair. “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” Although he was tempted to say something, he didn’t speak up. It was obvious that Misha wasn’t done yet and really he didn’t know what to say anyway.  
  
“I shouldn’t have asked you to leave the other day. There was just so much going on and I was so scared. Then when you didn’t come back or try to contact me, I didn’t know what to do.” When two trails of tears leaked out of Misha’s eyes, he couldn’t sit still any longer. Getting up he gently sat down on the edge of the bed. His hands lifted to cup the other man’s face, his thumbs sliding over the pale cheeks to brush away his tears.

“I tried to call you so many times but I didn’t think you’d want to talk to me. After everything you’ve done for me, for the baby, I threw you out. I know now you were just trying to protect me. At the time I didn’t think about that. I knew Brent was drunk, I was used to him behaving that way.” That made his temper flare but he did his best to keep it under control. If he let it show on his face, Misha might think it was directed at him. It just made him sick to think what he’d seen had been normal. He refocused his attention then not wanting to miss anything important.

“He was there because he wanted me back. Apparently he thought the baby would be enough to right all of his wrongs. When I told him no, he just couldn’t understand it but I’ve changed since then. A good friend of mine made me realize I deserved better.” The hand that touched on his jaw was gentle, tentative. “I know I don’t deserve it but I was hoping you’d forgive me.” The look on Misha’s face was softly pleading, more tears escaping to streak down his face. “I don’t want to lose you Jared. It’s hard enough losing our friendship but you’re so much more to me now.” Not able to stand the other man’s pain any longer, he leaned forward to gently brush their lips together.  
  
When he pulled away a second later, he didn’t go far, looking intently into the deep blue of Misha’s eyes. “There’s nothing to forgive. The moment I looked at you, I could tell you were scared. I’m sorry I frightened you. I was just reacting to what I saw as a threat. The only reason I stayed away is because I didn’t think you wanted to see me.” A hand lifted to run through his hair, shaky fingers sifting through his hair gently. The touch made him close his eyes momentarily. It felt so good, brought him absolute comfort. “That could never happen. There’s something I need to tell you. I’ve been so frightened to say it but I know now that I need to.”

He reconnected their gazes, trying to offer silent encouragement. The eyes left him momentarily, the full bottom lip quivering. It was only when their gazes reconnected that Misha spoke softly. “I love you Jared.” The air felt as if it had been forcefully sucked from his lungs. All of a sudden, he felt dizzy. His heart beat hard in his chest and he couldn’t stop answering tears from falling from his own eyes. Letting the radiant smile that wanted to escape free, he leaned forward to give the other man a gentle kiss.  
  
When he pulled back, he sighed a little with his happiness. “I love you too Misha. My hearts belonged to you even before you were free to receive it.” The words made his lover smile and he leaned in again for another kiss. A second hand settled on his face, keeping him close, drawing him in for sweet light kisses. They stayed like that for some time, wrapped up in one another and basking in their good fortune. It was the door opening that eventually made him pull away. The doctor from earlier was their new guest. He inquired after Misha’s wellbeing before filling him in on all of the details.  
  
Some of the information he already had and some of it was new. During the discussion he remained silent, letting Misha absorb everything he was hearing. Eventually they were left alone again and he stayed by his lover’s side until he drifted off to sleep. It was only at that point that he left the room. He ambled back to the waiting room, not sure if he’d still find Jensen waiting. Clearing the doorway, he paused when he found not only his best friend but both of his parents waiting in the small room. His dad was the one to catch sight of him first.  
  
“Son..” That was all his father got to say before his mother jumped in to finish his question. “How’s he doing?” For a moment he didn’t know what to say, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. It was during this brief pause that everyone stood to approach his location. “Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?” Moving to his left side, his mother wrapped an arm around his waist. He followed slowly when he started to be led to the row of hard plastic seats. “When Jensen called to tell us what happened we came right away.” The answer only caused more confusion. “Why?”  
  
Turning a little, he caught his friend’s gaze. “Didn’t you tell them he was okay?” Before Jensen could answer, his mom continued, gently guiding him to sit down next to her. “Of course, he did dear. We came anyway to show our support. Besides, we know how much he means to you. I knew you’d need us.” For a few seconds all he did was look at his mother, feeling dazed. “Mom its fine. He’s going to be okay.” A hand lifted to push some of his hair behind his ear. It fell when it was done only to gently grip his chin. When she spoke her voice was soft, the tone indicating that she already knew the answer to her question. “Are you okay?”  
  
Despite his efforts, his face crumpled. Tears sprang to his eyes and he started to curl in on himself. A hand landed on his arm, gently guiding him forward. His face was buried against his mother’s shoulder a few seconds later, her left hand sliding through his hair like she used to when he was little. “Everything’s alright honey. From now on everything’s going to be better. You’ll see.” Shifting a little with a nod, he let himself release all of the fear he was still feeling. For long moments he rested there, crying himself out silently. When he was able to calm down, he pulled back, lifting a hand to wipe the moisture off of his face.  
  
His mother gave him a look that was filled with gentle understanding. Looking past her a little cautiously toward his father, he was surprised to see the same look on his father’s face. Although he loved them both dearly, his father tended to have high standards about what was masculine. Apparently his potential loss did in fact justify tears. He was grateful for that. If he’d seen his father looking uncomfortable or worse annoyed he couldn’t have guessed his reaction. All he did know was that it wouldn’t have been pretty. A hand smoothing over his cheek brought his gaze back to his mother.  
  
“I want you to make me a promise. As soon as he’s feeling better, I want you to bring Misha around to meet the family.” He opened his mouth, an argument on the tip of his tongue. “Now I don’t want to hear any excuses. The two of you have been friends for a long time and you’ve been dating for several months now. It’s time.” Trying again to get a word in edgewise, his mouth only ended up hanging open dumbly as his mom stood up. “We know it’s a bit of a drive but there’s no reason you can’t spend the weekend. The both of you can bunk in your old room. So, don’t forget to pack a bag, dear.”  
  
Before he could say anything, she stared to leave the room. “Now I think we all could use some coffee. Do you mind helping me carry the cups back Jensen?” His friend jumped a little at being addressed but quickly caught up with her at the door. “Of course not Sherri, I’m happy to.” They left together, his mother chattering on about the impending visit. When they were out of sight, he turned back to his father. The other man chuckled at the look of helplessness he knew was on his features.

“Try not to look so worried Son. You know how your mother is. Even when she takes over, she always makes everyone feel welcome. If that boy of yours is anything like you describe him, there’s no doubt he’s going to love her.” As abrupt as the invitation was, he couldn’t deny his father was right. His whole family just had that way about them. There was still some dread about Misha’s reaction but he had a feeling it would be okay. Well, at least he hoped so anyway. Doing his best not to grimace, he distracted himself by asking how the rest of the family was doing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Gathering up the tray full of light foods, he made his way slowly to the bedroom. He looked up briefly after clearing the room and caught sight of Misha setting aside his book of word searches. Currently the other man was on bed rest, so he’d made sure to bring Misha things to keep his mind occupied. “Alright, here we go, breakfast. I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I got you a little bit of everything.” Reaching the edge of the bed, he waited patiently as the other man shimmed into a seated position. When the movement ceased, he set the tray across his lover’s lap.  
  
It had literally just been set down when wide eyes raised to meet his gaze. “Jared you weren’t kidding. There’s no way I can eat even half of this food.” He smiled a little helplessly, a small blush heating his face. “It’s okay. Just eat what looks good and I can eat what’s left later.” That made his lover frown which in turn made him pause. He didn’t like when Misha wasn’t happy. “It’s going to be cold by then.” The smile that came to his face was unavoidable. When his lover was concerned about him it made warm and fuzzy feelings go through his body.  
  
“Don’t worry about that. I can just reheat it in the microwave.” Instead of satisfying the other man, his frown only grew deeper. “I don’t think so. Sit down and join me. We can eat together.” He blinked for a moment in surprise. “Are you sure? I don’t want to crowd you.” By way of answer, Misha patted the bed next to his side. Not really able to find a reasonable argument against the offer, he moved carefully onto the bed. The slow movements were a conscious effort. He didn’t want to jostle Misha and upset his stomach. After he was settled, he gestured to the tray vaguely.  
  
“Alright, what looks good?” The other man scanned the numerous plates before picking up a piece of dry toast. A small bite was taken out of it and swallowed down before he was addressed. “You can have the other piece if you want.” He looked to the second half of the piece of toast. It was a sweet offer but he knew Misha wanted it. So far it was the one breakfast item he always ate. The fact that he’d picked that up first hadn’t been a surprise at all. “No, that’s okay, you eat it. I want you to tell me though what doesn’t look good.” With a sweep over the tray, Misha shrugged. “It all looks good.”  
  
He smiled a little, his ego bolstered by the praise. The breakfast was simple; he really couldn’t manage much more with his lack luster skills in the kitchen. Still, it was nice to know his lover appreciated his efforts. “Okay, what aren’t you in the mood for.” Another glance was given to the food before Misha looked to him tentatively. “The Oatmeal.” He gave an easy nod, picking up the bowl and a spoon a second later. “I’ll start with this then.” They fell into a comfortable silence as they chewed, stealing soft glances at one another. He was only half-way through his oatmeal when Misha finished with the toast.  
  
“There’s no way I can eat all of these eggs. Do you want half?” At his nod, the other man used a fork to cut the scrambled eggs in half. Swallowing down his food, he decided to speak up about the eggs. “You might need to use some salt or pepper on them. They might uh also be a little tough.” Their gazes connected again when he was done speaking, Misha giving him a small smile. “I’m sure they’re going to be delicious.” All he did was smile in turn, knowing it was more likely they’d be tasteless or rubbery. They had been a little overcooked.  
  
Well, if he was being honest, they had been just shy of being burnt. He watched as Misha took a bite, hoping for the best. “Mmm…very good.” The look on his lover’s face hadn’t changed but he wasn’t fooling anyone. Reaching up to grip the other man’s chin, he gave him a quick gentle peck on the lips. “You’re sweet but I know they’re terrible.” A sympathetic smile was thrown his way. “I wouldn’t say they’re terrible but a little salt couldn’t hurt.” Almost shyly, Misha sprinkled some salt on the eggs. It really was sweet. He knew the other man didn’t want to hurt his feelings.  
  
A few more bites emptied the small bowl of oatmeal and picking up a fork he started to eat the eggs. He almost grimaced at the taste. Yep, they were pretty much as terrible as he’d guessed they would be. Ignoring it, used to his own cooking, he finished off his section of the eggs. He put down his fork when he was done, waiting to see what Misha wanted to eat next. In the interim, he couldn’t help thinking that he was grateful he’d brought extra silverware. This wasn’t the first meal he’d brought his lover in bed and there had been a few times some utensils had found their way to the floor.  
  
It had become a standard practice for him to bring extras. He was grateful for that now, liking that he didn’t have to leave Misha’s side so they could still share the large breakfast. After a little more debate, his lover went for the yogurt sprinkled with oats and walnuts. He watched the other man stirring the yogurt for a moment before he was distracted by soft words. “I’m not really in the mood for the English Muffin.” Taking his cue, he picked up the lightly buttered muffin and started to eat it slowly. This time he finished before Misha, using the spare time to stack the empty dishes on the nightstand.  
  
They were placed with care, his gaze firmly fixed on the half-full water glass that had found a permanent home on the bedside table. He had just settled back down when a tiny bowl of fruit was slid toward him on the tray. “I can’t eat all of this either. Are you still hungry? We could share.” Looking toward his lover with a small smile, he picked up his fork in response. A smile was sent his way as well before Misha went to spear a grape. It slid under the contact, almost flying out of the bowl. In a quick move, the other man aborted its escape with his fork.  
  
They both laughed a split-second later at the ridiculous scene. As soon as he could get himself under control, he managed to get the grape on his own fork. Holding it in the direction of his lover, he smiled gently. “Here.” With another smile, Misha opened his mouth obediently so that he could be fed the grape. In the process of chewing, his lover put his own fork on a piece of cantaloupe. An eyebrow lift asked the question his lips were too busy to voice. He gave a nod, chuckling a little. The fork found its way into the deep orange fruit and a few seconds later it found its way to his lips.  
  
He opened up obediently as well, enjoying the attention his lover was bestowing. They continued that way for several minutes, slowly emptying the small bowl by way of feeding each other. As soon as it was empty Misha sighed a little and leaned back into the comfort of his pillows. That more than anything told him that his lover was full. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to go put this stuff in the kitchen.” The look on his lover’s face told him that he didn’t want him to leave. It was obvious he was enjoying the company. Still, he needed to clean up and he’d make sure he wasn’t gone very long.  
  
Leaning over to kiss the other man’s cheek lightly, he left the bed. “I’ll only be a minute.” A small nod was given in response as he finished collecting the dirty dishes. Leaving the bedroom a few minutes later, he moved as quickly as he dared. Upon reaching the kitchen, the tray was put away and the dirty dishes were loaded into the dishwasher. He looked at the machine’s interior briefly. At the moment there wasn’t enough to run it; he’d make sure to do that tonight when Misha was asleep. Giving the kitchen one more cursory glance, he made his way back to the bedroom.  
  
TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

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During his absence the other man had laid down prone once again, his gaze skimming over the white ceiling absently. His presence drew his lover’s gaze and he was sent a wide smile. “Stay with me for a while, please.” With a smile of his own, he slowly climbed into the bed. He was happy to be there, he didn’t need to be asked twice. Settling down comfortably close on his left side, he draped a loose arm around Misha’s hips. For a few minutes they lay in silence, his gaze on Misha’s profile and his lover still staring at the ceiling. “Do you think they’ll like me?”  
  
The question was so abrupt that it took him a second to realize what the other man was referring to. “I don’t think, I know. They’re going to love you.” At that Misha turned his head to connect their gazes. The look of uncertainty in his eyes made his heart tighten with sympathy. “How can you be so sure? Aren’t they upset about the baby?” There was a brief pause, Misha looking down. “I know my parents are.” Leaning forward a little, he kissed the tip of his lover’s nose. The small kiss prompted the other man to look up, their gazes reconnecting in the minimal space.  
  
“You’ll just have to trust me. All of them are dying to meet you. Including my best friend Jensen; who’s basically an adopted brother. He’s has been pestering me to meet you for months. And no, they’re not upset about the baby. If anything, they’ve gone crazy with joy. My mother is bound and determined to give you a baby shower.” Hearing that made some of the sadness leave Misha’s eyes, a tentative hope forming in their calm depths. “Really?” He nodded easily, a wan smile on his face.

“Yep, she’s on a mission. She’s been bugging me to know the sex of the baby because she wants to go shopping for clothes. Then when she’s not asking me about the baby, she wants information on you. The last thing she asked me was your birth date. Even though I asked why she wanted to know, she wouldn’t tell me. But I have my suspicions. She just loves throwing surprise birthday parties.” At first all Misha did was blink, looking clearing shocked. Eventually he found some words but it took several long seconds. “Wow, that’s..surprising.”

He chuckled a little. “That’s my mom. The rest of my family is eager to meet you too. My dad already asked if you wanted to come on the annual fishing trip. I told him I would ask you about it later when things weren’t quite so busy.” They fell into silence again, Misha looking down between them as he took everything in. It wasn’t until he felt a tremor go through the other man’s frame that he spoke up again. “Hey, what is it? What’s wrong?” The other man shook his head, his soft hair brushing against his nose ticklishly. “Nothing. They sound great.” Hearing the wavering tone, he pulled Misha close. The other man’s face rested in the crook of his neck. A few seconds later he could feel moisture and small sobs pushing into his skin. He held him gently through the tears, smoothing his hand through his hair.  
  
When the other man managed to calm down a little, he pulled back so they could look at one another. “I’m..I’m sorry.” He shook his head immediately, sliding his thumb over Misha’s face to wipe away the lingering wetness. “Don’t apologize. There’s no reason to.” Leaning down he sprinkled gentle kisses on both damp cheeks, not pulling away until his lover was no longer sniffling. When their gazes reconnected, the other man gave him a playful smile. “I’m afraid your mother isn’t going to be happy with me.” He sent the other man a confused look. “Why do you say that?”  
  
A small movement drew his gaze downward just in time to see Misha smooth a hand over his stomach. “I’m waiting to find out the sex of the baby. I want to be surprised.” He chuckled a little, shaking his head slowly. “It’s going to kill her not knowing the sex but she’ll be far from unhappy. Just be forewarned, your son might end up with a dress or your daughter might end up with a baseball uniform onesie.” That made Misha laugh, his free hand raising to slide along his face. He let himself be drawn down into the kiss, thoroughly enjoying the amused sound filtering into his mouth.  
  
The light mood suddenly vanished though when he felt Misha gasp. Pulling back quickly, he looked to his lover with worry. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” The other man shook his head slowly, his features easing into a look of wonder. “No, nothing’s wrong. It’s the baby, it just moved.” He blinked twice before he could break himself of his stupor. “Really?” An excited nod was given in response, Misha’s hand sliding over his stomach slowly. Suddenly a wide smile was on his lover’s face. “It just did it again.” Only a beat passed before Misha addressed him with soft excitement.  
  
“Do you want to feel it?” He didn’t even have to think about it, the words practically falling from his mouth. “Yeah. Can I?” A gentle hand wrapped around his own in response, laying his palm flat against the rounded stomach. It guided his hand to where it needed to be and then they both waited in silence. They didn’t need to wait long before he felt a push against his hand. He looked to his lover quickly, a wide smile on his own face. “That’s amazing.” When the baby pushed against his palm again, he found his gaze once more drawn downward.  
  
They stayed focused on the baby for some time, feeling its small movements and swift kicks. After a little while the baby settled but he didn’t look away immediately. Following the desire of his heart, he leaned down to gently kiss where the baby had been pressing. Leaning back a little after bestowing the kiss, he spoke to it in a soothing whisper. “Hello little one, I’m happy to see you’re doing well. You keep getting big and strong. I know you can do it. And don’t you worry, your daddy and I will keep you safe.” Bestowing another light kiss, he pulled away to lie down next to his lover’s side.  
  
He didn’t retreat far though, continuing to run his hand softly over where the baby was growing. Looking up to reconnect gazes with Misha, he was a little surprised to see tears in his eyes. Deciding not to comment on it, knowing they were most likely good tears, he instead leaned down to deliver a light kiss to his lover’s lips. When he pulled back, he spoke just as softly as he did when he was addressing the baby. “Thank you so much for sharing this with me.”

He didn’t elaborate that he meant all of it. The look on Misha’s face told him it wasn’t necessary. His lover already knew that was what he meant. A hand slid across his face in a slow slide, the fingers eventually settling into his hair. “Thank you for being here.” He smiled a little, leaning down to give his lover a soft kiss. It was slow, thorough but still light. They settled into its gentle cadence, neither of them pushing to deepen it. The airy quality of the kiss fit the moment, it fit their mood. There was no reason to add to its passion, so they didn’t.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Throwing the car into park, he looked to his right taking in his nervous passenger. He reached out to gently wrap his fingers around Misha’s hand. The touch prompted his lover to look in his direction. Seeing the look of panic on the other man’s face, he gently lifted the captured hand to lay a kiss on the back of his fingers. “Everything’s going to be fine, I promise.” His reassurance seemed to help a little, so he released his handhold to climb out of the car. Making his way over to the passenger side, he opened the door for his lover and stood by patiently while he unbuckled his seatbelt.  
  
As soon as he was free, he reached down to help him out of the car. Over the last few weeks, Misha had grown quite a bit bigger. There was no question to outside observers that he was pregnant. He had even had to forgo the loosest of his clothes and was now solely wearing men’s maternity clothes. It left his lover a little insecure. In his exact words, he felt like a whale. He couldn’t disagree more. The rounder Misha got the more beautiful he looked. It’s not that he wasn’t beautiful before, his lover was gorgeous; it’s just there was this glow about him now.  
  
He’d heard about a pregnancy glow before but this was the first time he’d experienced it with a lover. As much as he didn’t like to see Misha uncomfortable, he couldn’t help hoping this wouldn’t be the last time he would see it. He was quickly coming around to the idea that his mother was right. They should have a whole brood. He smiled at the thought, keeping it to himself for now. The time wasn’t right to bring up more children. Their relationship still lacked some permanence and he didn’t think Misha would appreciate it since he was still pregnant.  
  
His lover’s moods had been irritable lately, the strain starting to get to him as things progressed. For some reason, he had a feeling he’d be dead if he mentioned more children. So, he’d hold off for now but someday soon he’d bring it up for discussion. All he knew for sure was that it would be sometime after he’d asked Misha to marry him. That thought made him look toward the other man as he got their bags out of the trunk. At the moment he was looking away toward the house, his hand rubbing over his stomach absentmindedly.  
  
He knew that Misha had no idea he was that serious, his lover never seemed to believe he deserved being more than a side project. That would change; he’d make sure of it. He just knew that it would take some time. Gathering both of their bags in one hand, he came to his lover’s side. Lifting his left arm, he wrapped it loosely around Misha’s waist before leaning down to give him a kiss on the cheek. Pulling away a little after that, he waited until their gazes connected before speaking. “Are you ready?” A nervous nod was his answer, a shaky smile following soon after.  
  
He gave the other man his most reassuring smile before leading them both closer to the house. Once they made it to the front porch, he released his hold so that he could knock on the door. It only took a few minutes before the door came open to reveal his father. At first, he looked gruff, his features set into hard lines. He cringed a little, looking toward his now extremely nervous lover. After seeing who it was though the hard lines smoothed out on his father’s face. He looked between the both of them before settling his gaze on Misha. A wide smile came to his face as he held out his hand.  
  
“Hi there, you must be Misha. I’m Jerry, Jared’s father.” Still looking a little nervous but far more at ease now, his lover shook his father’s hand. “Hello Mr. Padalecki, it’s very nice to meet you.” As he would have expected his father waved off the formality. “Now there’s no need for titles, son. You call me Jerry, alright.” He smiled a little when Misha nodded, looking pleased but thrown at the same time. “Yes Si..I mean Jerry.” Anything else they might have said was prevented when his mother suddenly appeared. “Oh, they’re here!” She stepped out onto the front porch, a wide smile on her face as she looked them both over.  
  
When she was close enough her hands settled gently on Misha’s upper arms. “It’s so good to finally meet you Misha. I feel like I practically know you already with how much my Son talks about you.” He looked at the floor, feeling his face starting to heat. “And what a handsome man you are as well. I’m not surprised. My Jared has always had good taste. But even for him, well you’re just gorgeous honey. I can only imagine how beautiful that little baby of yours is going to be.” The heat just kept deepening on his face. He started to remember why he didn’t bring home boyfriends and girlfriends until he was really serious about them.  
  
Clearing his throat, he drew his mother’s attention. “Mom..” He gave her a look that said, ‘Slow down’. As usual she didn’t listen and did her own thing. The look she turned on Misha held more than a little amusement. “Don’t you worry about him Misha. He’s just worried that I’ll embarrass him. Now let’s get you inside and settled somewhere comfortable.” Gently gripping Misha’s hand to lead him inside, she lightly hit his father’s chest as she passed. “Jerry, I can’t believe you left them standing on the porch like that and after all of that time on the road.”  
  
His father frowned a little, rolling his eyes in exasperation. “They just got here, dear. I swear, you make it sound like they were out there for an hour in the dead of winter.” All he got in response was a sound of noncommittal. Another moment later both his mother and Misha disappeared in the direction of the living room. He walked into the open doorway then chuckling a little at his parents. The door was closed behind him before he was pulled into a hard hug. “It’s good to see you Son. How was the drive up?” By the time he was ready to answer he was pulling out of the hug.  
  
“It wasn’t too bad. The traffic was pretty good but we had to make a few restroom breaks.” His Dad nodded sagely. “I remember those days. Your mother was like that will all of you kids. Anytime we went anywhere, you can bet there had better be a bathroom close by.” Hearing the noise of introductions filtering out of the living room he looked in that direction. He felt a little nervous. His family was welcoming to a fault but he didn’t want Misha to get overwhelmed. “Why don’t you give me your bags and go join Misha in the living room. We don’t want him getting stressed over all the unfamiliar faces.”  
  
Breathing out a relieved sigh, he handed over the two bags. “Thanks Dad.” His father nodded slowly, already heading toward the staircase. “Of course, I’ll put these up in your old room and be back down before your Mother can miss me.” Chuckling again, he left the entryway to head into the living room. Unsurprisingly he walked in to see his mother, both of his siblings, Jensen and Misha in the large room. Walking over to stand next to his lover, he greeted both of his siblings warmly. There was a smile on Misha’s face. He could tell that the visit was going well but he could also see some of the nervous tension ease with him close.  
  
Eventually he suggested that they sit down. In the flurry of introductions and greeting everyone was still standing. He guided Misha to sit in one of the corners of the sofa. After grabbing a small pillow, he sat down next to the other man. “Sweetheart, lean forward for me.” A brief glance was thrown his way before Misha complied. He situated the pillow behind him, giving his back the optimal support he could. When he looked back up it was to see a pleased smile on his mother’s face. “Jared, I’m happy to see that you’re looking out for Misha.”  
  
Before he could comment his mother looked toward his lover and continued in the same sweet tone. “He’s told me about all of the meals you’ve cooked for him. About all of the small things you do to take care of him. For the first time in a long time, I think I’m starting to see some pudge at his belly.” His eyes widened with his embarrassment, his face heating so quickly he felt hot. Undeterred she continued, a twinkle in her eyes. “I’m glad to see that’s he’s doing the same for you. It’s how we raised him. It’s good to know the manners stuck.”  
  
As he was scrambling for something to say, anything to derail the current conversation, Misha spoke up quietly. “He’s been very good to me. Even before we started seeing each other, he’s always been a wonderful friend. It’s just uh..well sometimes I feel bad.” That made his embarrassment fall away, all of his focus immediately on his lover. He was looking down at his hands now, his face heated in a blush as he struggled for the words. After a few moments he continued, his gaze firmly fixed in his lap. “He does so much and he never asks for anything in return. Sometimes I feel like I’m taking advantage. I don’t...I don’t mean to but sometimes it feels that way.”

Before he could voice any denial that what his lover felt was untrue, his father spoke up from the archway into the living room. “Trust me Son, you’re not taking advantage. Our Jared never does anything unless he wants to. He’s stubborn as a mule. It’s a long-standing Padalecki trait.” The response drew Misha’s gaze to his father and he could tell that he was considering the answer he’d received. Lifting his left hand, he gently tapped his lover on the shoulder.  
  
The touch brought him under the other man’s gaze. He spoke softly when he had his attention. It was loud enough that he was sure the rest of the room heard it but he was only really concerned that Misha heard him. “I do things for you because I want to. I’ve never once felt obligated to do anything. Just like I know you don’t feel obligated to do nice things for me.” Using his index finger and thumb to cup Misha’s chin, he leaned in to give him a quick soft kiss. When he pulled back his lover was blushing, his eyes cast downward. He loosened his grip a little, letting his thumb slide along the other man’s jaw line.  
  
The response he got was soft, the color deepening a little in Misha’s face. “Okay.” When his mother spoke a second later, he almost jumped. In his focus to reassure Misha, he’d completely forgotten they weren’t alone. “Well, who would like some tea?” A number of affirmatives sounded around the room. He watched as she went to leave, his gaze catching the smug look on Jensen’s face. It wasn’t hard to do since he was sitting next to him opposite on the couch. The other man had been suspiciously quiet and now he knew why. It was obvious from the look on his friend’s face that he was in for some serious teasing later.  
  
Using the other man’s proximity to his advantage, he threw out his left hand to lightly smack his friend in the stomach. A small sound left Jensen’s mouth but his smile only went up a notch. He rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to his lover. “So, Misha, has my son mentioned the annual Padalecki fishing trip to you yet?” He relaxed back into the cushions, his right arm rising to rest along the back of the couch. “Yes, he has. It sounds like fun but I don’t know if I’ll be able to go. It’s going to be a little difficult with the new baby.” It was at that moment that his mother returned from the kitchen with the tea.  
  
She interrupted the conversation to offer a solution. “Oh, don’t worry about that, honey. The baby will be a few months old by then and I’d be happy to babysit while you’re out fishing. Now I know what you’re thinking, you don’t know us from Adam. Well, all that means is you’ll have to visit more. Once you see how good I am with kids, you’ll want me to babysit all the time.” With the tray settled on the coffee table, his mother started to hand out the tea making sure Misha got his first. “And let me tell you, that’s going to come in handy later. After a few months, the two of you are going to want a night to yourselves. Having a baby is a joyous thing but it doesn’t leave much time for intimacy.”

The cup that had been halfway to Misha’s mouth suddenly halted, his face turning crimson. He spluttered for a moment, his own face feeling a little warm. “Mom!” Instead of looking reproachful his mother just gave him a mildly surprised glance. “Don’t be so embarrassed, dear. All of us are adults here. Just because a couple has a baby doesn’t mean they stop having sex. I mean if they did, you wouldn’t even exist.” His face scrunched up in distaste, taking the tea she handed him on autopilot. Thankfully his father took that moment to interrupt.

“So, it’s settled then. If you’re comfortable with Sherri babysitting by then we’ll all go fishing.” The abrupt shift was welcome but it also threw Misha. With a wide-eyed gaze, he looked between his parents. “Um...well, like I said that sounds great but I don’t really know how to fish.” He looked a little uncomfortable, his gaze flitting around the room. The person to offer reassurance ended up being his brother Jeff. “We can teach you Misha. It’s really easy.”  
  
When he finished speaking, his sister reached out to lightly push his shoulder. “Yeah, if Dad can teach Jeff, he can teach anybody.” A light scowl was sent in Megan’s direction, Jeff reaching out to push her back. “Hey watch it pipsqueak or I might have to throw you in the lake.” His threat earned him an eye roll, Megan crossing her arms over her chest. “Yeah, you could try anyway.” With an exasperated sigh, his mother interrupted their banter. “Alright, enough you too.”  
  
She took her seat before looking to Misha with a warm smile. “I swear if I didn’t know they were already grown, I’d ask for a copy of their birth certificates.” That made Misha smile softly, his expression obscured as he took a drink of his tea. A beat passed before his mother spoke up again, her voice cordial as any host. “I hope you like Tuna Casserole.” He let his eyes fall closed as he chuckled softly into his cup. It was true, his family was crazy but it could be worse he supposed. At least they were the fun kind of crazy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Turning out the light, he navigated his way easily through the dark room. He didn’t sleep here very much anymore but he’d spent so many years here in the past that it didn’t matter. Reaching the edge of the bed, he pulled back the covers and climbed onto the top sheet slowly. The bed in his old room was a Queen. It offered ample room for him and Misha to be comfortable. Still, it was small enough that with two small scoots forward, he was pressed to his lover’s side. He settled down into the comfort of the mattress, his head cushioned by a fluffy pillow.  
  
Lifting his right arm, he slung his hand gently over his lover’s hips. At the moment Misha was on his back. That told him that his lover was just relaxing for a few minutes. The other man never slept on his back anymore, the added weight of the baby forcing him to sleep on his side. A hand landed on his chin, gentle fingers sliding over the skin roughed by newly grown stubble. “I really like your family. I can see why you turned out to be such a great guy.” He smiled a little, leaning forward to press a kiss into his lover’s hair. “I’m glad. I can tell they love you. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if my Mother shows you my baby pictures tomorrow.”  
  
At that Misha laughed softly, his fingers curling a little against his skin. “I hope she does. I’d love to see what you looked like as a baby.” He scoffed a little, thinking about the numerous photos. “You say that now. I was an ugly child.” His lover laughed again, his thigh lifting to lie over his own leg. “Now that I find hard to believe. I’m sure you were a beautiful child.” Leaning up a little, smiling a little wider, he denied the reassuring words playfully. “Nope, I was all limbs growing up. Have you ever seen a baby Great Dane?” The hand that had fallen away at his movement was back, sliding over his face as Misha laughed lightly.  
  
“I’m sure you’re over exaggerating.” He shook his head, his lips forming a small pout. “I’m not. I was the spitting image of Marmaduke.” His claim made Misha laugh outright, his other hand lifting to push his chest. “You are such a liar.” Instead of commenting, he just laughed along with his lover, enjoying the playful atmosphere immensely. The hand on his face slid further upward until it slid into his hair. With a slow curl, the fingers tightened their grip gently. A small tug prompted him to move downward and he followed the silent request gladly. His reward was a slow sensuous kiss that had his heart racing.  
  
After several long minutes, Misha pulled away with a pant. The hand left his hair to slide down his face. At the same time, the leg draped over his own started to rub up and down his calf slowly. “Would you be really upset with me if I told you I wanted you?” He groaned a little, lowering his head to bury it in Misha’s shoulder. When he spoke, the words were muffled but were still recognizable. “We’re at my parent’s house.” The hand that had been on his face settled in his hair. It massaged his scalp for a few minutes, turning his muscles to Jell-O.  
  
From there it made its way downward to massage the back of his neck. “I know. It’s not exactly polite. I just can’t seem to help it. Maybe it’s the hormones or maybe it’s just because you’re so hot. I don’t question these things.” Leaning back up with his eyes narrowed, he gave his lover a look filled with mock suspicion. The smile that was directed at him was wide. “Why do I get the feeling you’re just stroking my ego so you get what you want.” His lover looked upward as though he were thinking over the words. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.”  
  
When their gazes reconnected there was a mischievous smile on Misha’s face that was matched by an equally mischievous light in his eyes. “I guess you’ll never know.” A slow easy smile slid onto his lips, the expression on his face smoothing out with his relaxed state. “Well in that case, I guess I have no choice. I’m just going to have to give you what you want. So is the plight of the boyfriend with a pregnant lover. I’ll just have to find some way to muster through it.” He looked down as he felt Misha’s body shake with a small chuckle. “That’s the sport. Way to take one for the team.”  
  
Letting his smile slip into one of true happiness, he leaned down to kiss the tempting lips of his lover. A chuckle pushed into his mouth and he swallowed it down eagerly. His hands lifted to settle at the top of Misha’s chest. As they kissed, he slowly moved them downward, rubbing his lover’s body through the soft fabric of the nightshirt. Reaching the bottom of the cotton nightgown, he pushed his hand up under the material. For the moment he didn’t worry about removing it, just let his hands explore soft rapidly heating skin. When his thumbs brushed over two sensitive nipples, Misha gasped into their kiss loudly.  
  
He didn’t linger there, knowing they were extremely sensitive to touch. Starting to move his hands downward again, he couldn’t help thinking about what would happen when Misha started breastfeeding. They would start to leak at the mildest stimulation. He could see the two of them wrapped around each other in his lover’s bed. The small nipples would be peaked from arousal and he would lean in to give them some attention. He’d let the liquid flow into his mouth, he’d swallow it down with relish. It would turn him on to know he was taking in more of the other man.  
  
Just thinking about it now was turning him on; imagining them hard, leaking, the skin around them swollen with milk. He groaned hard, barely remembering the need to be quiet. The path of his hands had once again reached the bottom hem of the nightshirt. This time around he gripped the fabric and started to pull it up. It was a little awkward trying to get it off. Eventually though they were able to manage and Misha was laid bare under the loose covers.  
  
TBC...


End file.
